Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter
by chloemcg
Summary: Alfendi and Professor Layton have drifted apart but what happens if a request to search for an ancient relic brings father and son together again? Will Lucy Baker be able to mend the broken family of the Laytons?
1. Father and son regrets

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else! **

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor Layton, Alfendi and the guardians sceptre.**

* * *

Professor Hershel Layton sat at his desk as usual. He was trying to examine some new fossils that had been delivered all the way from Arabia and he was stuck into his work as usual, thinking on all the possibilities of what this artefact could reveal for whatever era it had once been a living creature at.

The top hat-wearing gentleman was nothing short of curious and glued to his work since he really could do nothing else in his spare time right now. Luke (his former apprentice) had long since grown up and began to explore the world on his own while Flora (his adopted daughter) had decided to journey to a small island resort to relinquish her worries and anxieties that had been weighing heavily on her mind as of late.

Professor Layton had been alone for awhile now and had grown accustomed to looking after himself now that his house maid, Rosa, had to leave for awhile too since she had a family emergency or something or rather. He couldn't really understand it since she was complaining in Spanglish, something she done if she was stressed or something.

He did however have someone who he could visit if he wanted to and that was his son, Alfendi. Or as he's now called inspector Alfendi Layton, a very placid detective who apparently is very clever there and can quite easily dissemble the facts from false evidence and testimony. However he hadn't spoken to his son for a long time since they had lost contact years ago after having a long-winded quarrel about the future and they hadn't spoken since.

The professor really wanted to visit his son and apologise but he highly doubted that Alfendi would let him see him.

Actually, strangely enough, when the professor tried to get in there despite Alfendi's reluctance the police had strongly advised against it and when he asked why they just said nothing and threw the poor Professor out into the rain. He knew that they were hiding a terrible secret in that office in Scotland Yard but he had no idea what the secret could be...

He sighed when he found that he was not longer examining his newly polished fossil findings and was instead looking at a small framed photo of both himself and a young boy with long wavy purple locks of hair with golden yellow eyes to compliment that suave colouring and he had a bouncy, energetic grin on his small face. The little boy, Alfendi, looked to be aged six in this picture and the Professor seemed very happy at the time.

Professor Layton's eyes became a bit misty as he stared longingly at the picture. It had been years since he had seen the boy and he hadn't really been asked to go anywhere for ages either. In fact, he spent a lot of his free time making tea and sipping it contently with the rim of the china cup pressed to his lips. He missed the good old days when both he, Luke, Flora or anyone really would go out and search for mysteries and puzzles.

"...Why?" The professor asked no one in particular, his eyes sad "Why did those days have to end?"

He didn't get an answer, obviously, and he hung his head and closed his eyes. He missed having company, he missed having someone to laugh with, he missed someone to talk to other than himself. He actually thought that he was going bonkers since he was taking to himself quite often and he even stared wistfully out the pitch black world outside the window that had some candlelight reflecting off of the glass.

The light splatters tainting the glass was clearly raindrops as they pelted the glass barricade shielding the professor from the cold world outside. All he could think about now was how Alfendi was getting on in the office of Scotland Yard, was he doing well? Was he doing well in his studies? Did he have a house to sleep in? Was he even being taken care of properly when he couldn't make it to his apparent home?

Professor Layton adjusted the rim of his top hat so he could see the nighttime outside world that had bleary neon lights shining in the distance, a concerned frown on his face as he sat by the candlelight that made his office be warmed by a welcoming amber glow from that bright flickering kindle of a flame that simply laid dormant on the little black fuse of wax.

He could even hear police cars blaring in the distance as he looked out the window longingly.

* * *

Alfendi Layton sighed as he sat at his desk, waiting for something to happen.

He too was staring away from his desk, a festering headache nibbling on his mind, and looking woefully out the blackened window. Alfendi would never forgive himself for shutting the only man who cared for him out, the one person who had raised him with kindness and logical compassion.

Why did he allow his dreams to get in the way of his relationship with his father?

Alfendi had his mind eaten at a lot as everyday passed and not one did he not receive a visit from the top hat, puzzle-loving archaeologist. He had been barred up in his office as the police had determined him too unstable to even go outside into the public where his rampaging emotions could take full control and he could go into a full-on blood lust. He hung his head and gritted his teeth, tears pouring from his golden eyes. It wasn't his fault that he had Split personality disorder!

He ran a hand through his constantly-changing long purple-to-crimson wavy hair.

"...Why!? Papa didn't deserve that!" Alfendi growled, his expression shielded by his dishevelled hair but the discord in his voice was there.

The inspector choked on a wobbly sob as he had hid himself in almost complete darkness. He could be considered a monster, something that not even he could control at times.

He could even taste the blood from his would-be victims at times as he was occasionally swallowed up by his other persona, the reason for his confinement. The young adult shook his head as he wanted to break away, wanted to run back to his father and apologize for being such a buffoon for leaving him behind and he wanted to be swallowed up by the loving warmth of the one and only Professor Layton: the one who had raised him from infancy.

It was a stupid argument that had initially broken them apart. Alfendi wanted to be an inspector working under Scotland Yard but Professor Layton was dead set against it. The two argued about the matter quite often until Alfendi had went too far and almost tore Professor Layton's top hat by the seams out of pure frustration from the heated argument. When Alfendi had stopped and realized what he was doing, he had saw the look of pure hurt in his adopted father's dot-like eyes. It killed the young man on the inside to see the Professor stare like that and he instantly ran out into the rain.

Eventually he had ran away to Scotland Yard but the man named Hershel Layton didn't come after him. That must have meant that the professor had completely disowned him and Alfendi had lived in shame afterwards, so much so that he had constantly been changing from "Potty" to "Placid" and when he was in his "Potty" persona, he had the lust for blood and was quite fond of the idea of murdering someone by his bare hands. He even shown a deep obsession with criminals during this state but if he had gone into the state with no criminals to hunt then...Things could go disastrously like they had done not so long ago.

He had attacked someone while in this form named "Potty Professor" and had lost his apartment, a big portion of his sanity and his freedom... He was just getting over being the victim of a frame from four years prior too.

Alfendi was treated like a wild animal as of now. He worked as normal in the day time while at night he was gagged, tied up and even shackled to prevent him from escaping the room he wasn't supposed to leave. However he tried to remain resolute and calm since he needed to be for the sake of her. There was one person who came to see him daily, though, someone who actually didn't treat or fear him as a loon. Someone who gone by the name of Lucy Baker, a pretty young girl with a Yorkshire accent and with high amounts of optimism and admirable smarts.

Sadly she didn't know about this. Lucy would have saved him if she knew.

"...Papa..." Alfendi whimpered, burying his face in a sleeve of his long white lab coat "...please, I'm sorry for being a fool." His purple hair transformed into crimason again as he slammed a fist into a wall "They have the gall to treat me like a wild animal and keep me caged like the beast of a halloween film!" He opened an eye that fluorescently glowed in the darkness like the beautiful yellow orbs they were "I am the Jekyll and the Hyde, two personas living in one body."

He sighed heavily, his hair turning back into purple and he hid his face in one hand "I just need to control myself and calm down, however..."

Alfendi could be very calm and collected, most even say placid. He actually acted a lot like Professor Layton when he was in his normal state even though he denied it very often, as a matter of fact people even insist on calling him "Professor" too but he couldn't stick with that. He would never be able to be good enough to be labelled as a Professor. It would probably shame his father and overshadow the good gentleman's name which he didn't want to take away from him.

He only had one exception for this though and that was Lucy.

Other times, however, he would become a bit more vicious and had a darker sense of humour. He would sometimes ramble on about the beauty of how blood paints a background in a crimson background for a murder much like an artist would when disribbing a beautiful subject of art in their own special way. He was also quite quick-tempered and had a sly way of getting people to slip up during interrogations.

He had lifted his head at the sound of the unlocking of his door, a sharp gasp leaving his throat.

This could only mean one thing: time to be gagged again.

The door opened, allowing a small shred of light to come in, and one of the guards and one of the inspectors had entered. Both of them wore somewhat sinister grins on their faces as they approached Alfendi whom was remarkably calm as he stood up to his feet but the look in his eyes was anything but . "...Good Inspector, please, I'm you cannot do this!" He tried hard not to begin snivelling and expose his fear but he knew that this would be very unbecoming of him but he really hated having to go through this every night.

His yellow eyes widened to give him the most childish of frightened looks imaginable.

However, despite the calm, slow begs coming from Alfendi, the guard pinned the detective down and the inspector in charge of doing this reached down with a silk bandanna and proceeded to tightly wrap it around his mouth, the most evil of smirks on his face as he began the process of tying up the young man.

Alfendi closed his eyes tightly as he hoped and prayed that something would happen, something that could get him out of this and offer him a chance of redemption.

He hated having to be treated like this but he couldn't attack anyone else by accident. He wouldn't and couldn't risk it.

He wanted to reconcile with his father once and for all.

...His wish just might come true, though.

* * *

**A/N: Awwww, Poor professor Layton and Alfendi. They both need something to help them get back together but what could help them? An adventure of course! **

**Lets see what happens when a certain something brings father and son together. Will Alfendi get away from Scotland yard for at least awhile? Will his father be able to save him from this inhumane cruelty? Also this takes place just after Good cop bad cop in the Layton brothers Mystery room game which I have not played...yet.**

**Update: I have watched the end of Good cop bad cop and I have a better grasp on Alfendi's personality now. Sorry about that.**

**Please review!**

**-Chloemcg**


	2. Lucy's good deed

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else! **

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter.**

* * *

Lucy Baker smiled warmly as she ran a brush through her light brown-blonde hair, her eyes bright as she hummed a warm little tune to match the merry mood she was in. She looked at her reflection staring her back in the mirror and grabbed her peach orange cap before plopping it over her head, tweaking its position by grabbing the rim of the head accessory.

She put the brush down, feeling the bristles tickle her fingertips, and got to work on fastening the belts of her dark olive green military jacket with that same jolly grin on her face.

The sunlight glared through the veil-like curtains of her bedroom and lit the room up in a partially amber glow that was quite beautiful to look at admittedly. The bed was also tucked up against a corner of the room so it was just next to the doors leading on to her small balcony. There was a wardrobe containing her clothes and a small dressing table complete with mirror sweetly decorated the small bedroom of her apartment.

Lucy was the assistant Detective constable of inspector Alfendi Layton and she was proud to be friends with such an...extraordinary man. He was unique in character even though he had a good heart...most of the time. He was also very bouncy as he had the tenancy to go sort of insane the more criminals there were in a case although she had noticed a change lately. The prof (Alfendi's special nickname) was very much the same but she noticed a very faint difference, in fact it was extraordinary she noticed it at all! He seemed a bit off recently but she had heard about him accidentally attacking someone while in his "potty" persona.

It was no lie that ever since the special case dubbed "good cop bad cop", Alfendi changed quite frequently weather it be random or not. He was much more lively at least whilst before that case he seemed like a caged bird who wanted to let himself out but couldn't. This was while he was under the constant persona of "Placid prof" and she noticed the contained contentment in his soul. She didn't believe that he attacked someone on purpose, it must have been an accident.

She had decided to be there for her friend and help him through this, even though she honestly couldn't even tell which side of the professor's constantly-changing personas was the real one -even though it was originally thought that "Potty prof" was the original, now it seemed that _both _sides were one in the same. It now appeared that both of those split personalities had become one and had transformed into the professor's self.

Even though "potty" and "placid" constantly debated on certain matters and it was a bit awkward to witness...

Ever since then, anyway, things had changed for the better and for the worst.

It took ages but she had finally got herself ready as she clipped her badge to her hip and gave a twirl, giving a determined point of the finger as she exclaimed readily "All rightie world, here comes Lucy Baker!"

With that she darted down the stairs of her apartment with high spirits, a spring in her step and she neglected to have breakfast out of sheer excitement and she barreled out the front door and made a mad dash out the door, grabbing her satchel from the banister of the staircase and she raced out excitedly into the open world outdoors.

Outside her apartment was just a street bustling with life and had a few children playing here and there, it being the weekend and all, and the adults were paying no heed and continued to be wrapped up in their own personal affairs and the like. There was some greenery too as little Rose hedges had been potted and planted atop of a stone fence acting as a small barrier for the apartment complex.

The delightful scent in the air made Lucy take in all her surroundings and she couldn't even begin to describe her amazing neighbourhood as a few butterflies fluttered passed her face to just complete the smashing view just in front of her.

However, as she was bouncing down the stairs, a sudden 'clang' of a noise caught her attention.

"Hi, Lucy!" A nasally voice called out and caught the girl's attention. Lucy's big browny eyes widened in surprise as she saw a friend riding (or trying to ride) a bicycle with a blue mail persons satchel that was loosely fitting his side in one of the illest of fits around ones waist. He was clinging on tightly to a lamppost with his lanky arms tossed around the thin metal pole yet the bike he was riding was completely shaky.

Lucy knew who this was! "Oh," she gasped "Hello Dustin!" then she cocked a confused brow at the young man "I didn't know you were a mailman too?"

Dustin didn't release his grip on the pole as his bike continued to wobble right underneath him yet he was clearly trying to reach his azure blue bag by doing something, may it be a dumb move or a clever move he was trying anything to reach into the bag as he constantly figited in the seat of the bike.

Lucy decided to be a friend and help him out by walking over to him and putting two hands down on the seat of the bike so it would stop trying to escape underneath its rider. Luckily that was the ticket and this had managed to steady the bike and the young man was able to finally reach into his satchel and grabbed a letter that he had been trying so hard to get.

The red haired young man smiled a little in gratitude as he pulled out the envelope, one arm still wrapped around the lamp post and he handed it to Lucy who had now released the wobbly bike's seat and she was unaware that as soon as she did this, Dustin had already began to disappear upon the horizon from the rapid speed his wonky bike was going at and she didn't notice since she was reading to whom this letter was addressed to.

Lucy's eyes scanned the neatly-written calligraphy and she was a bit shocked at whom the name was "...Hershel Layton, eh? Must be a someone who shares the last name with Prof or summat." She furrowed her eyes in suspicion though. Why was she given this letter addressed to someone who shared the same last name as Alfendi? There was no way it was addressed to one of his relatives...was there?

This was really strange. She didn't even know the address of this "Hershel" and never even heard of the guy. Perhaps it was all just a coincidence, a very, very freaky coincidence.

She decided to try to find the address and deliver the message.

Lucy did decide that she had enough time to kill and tried to ask around for where this "Hershel Layton" guy lived. Eventually she found herself going towards the Greensheller college since she had gotten some information that he was a professor working there which was strange since Alfendi had mentioned his father working as a professor in an academy...

This side of London was actually a pretty quaint place to be as the townsfolk was friendly and they were also very useful for assisting her with information. There was even a few happy voices cheering as lots of people strolled through the park and had even ran through the greeny pastures. As she passed the college she saw many students about her age walking along the school grounds, probably for a weekend lecture, and the fact that they seemed so cheerful and upbeat made her own cheerfulness spread throughout her entire heart. She was happy to live in such a world of where all she knew was a sort of contentment in the air even though there was always a sense of danger too.

It was sort of what made her a detective in the first place, that and a personal reason.

She hoped that this wouldn't take much longer...she needed to hop off to work!

The young woman with the thick Yorkshire accent walked along the sidewalk as she was hopelessly lost in the sea of possibilities of which house she was even going to. She needed some more help, hopefully it would sharpen her skills as a detective.

She continued to walk relentlessly as she refused to give up her search. She wanted to do her good deed for the day since she always loved helping others weather it be getting milk for a neighbour or getting a cat out of a tree even though it would probably make her an easy target for anyone to take advantage of her kindness.

Lucy then saw an old lady talking with an kindly gentleman who was dressed in a peculiar looking top hat with a matching brown coat with a high collar, trousers, wore an orange shirt beneath the coat and wore olive green shoes.

She tapped the elderly woman on the shoulder, grabbing her attention as she and the other man stopped conversing and the lady turned on her heels to face Lucy with a kind smile stretching her wrinkled lips.

"Oh," she smiled "what can I do for you, young lady?"

Lucy returned the smile and asked the question quick-draw, her Yorkshire voice kind and ringing with an optimistic flounce "Hello, I were wonderin' if you could tell me where I can find Hershel Layton I would be 'appy, thanks."

The woman stepped aside to show the top hat-wearing gentleman she was conversing with before "Ah, he is right here."

Lucy was surprised. The person was here the entire time!? So this was the famous Professor Layton, was it? Well he didn't _look _like Alfendi so maybe the name and job was just a coincidence after all.

Professor Layton tipped the rim of his top hat to politely introduce himself "Hello there, miss, my name is Hershel Layton." He smiled in such a nice way that it was hard not to like the guy and even though he was taller than she was, a kind aura still emitted from the professor.

The two exchanged an awkward stare for a short period of time. Lucy had completely forgot why she was here for some reason as she mulled over the strange fact that this just might be Alfendi's father. Even though the Prof looked nothing like Professor Layton the possibility was still there since these strange coincidences didn't seem incredibly coincidental anymore, fair to say. This was quite strange and rather exciting now that she thought about it.

Finally the Professor broke the silence by clearing his throat gruffly "So, miss, do you have something you'd like me to look at or...?" His question wasn't incredibly rude but it wasn't very polite either but he didn't seem to notice until Lucy had snapped herself out of it and dug around for the letter that she had intended to bring to him.

She found it quickly and held it out towards the gentleman "I kinda received this in the post by accident." she explained bashfully "I've spent all morn tryin' to find you."

The professor took the letter. He examined the back of it carefully and smiled when he recognised the name on the back and nodded to the young lady in his wake and he used his free hand to politely tip his top hat at her again. He felt really happy towards her but then he noticed that badge shining on her hip, glittering away in the sunlight hanging overhead and recognised it almost immediately.

That badge indicated that she worked for the police force in someway but she didn't really seem like the type to apprehend criminal masterminds.

Lucy smiled at him and turned to walk away, however something had already been asked before she could even take another step "...Would you like to come with me for some tea?"

Lucy seemed surprised and looked back at the professor. Did he just offer her...some tea? It was a very polite offer but she didn't want to waste the poor man's time.

"Oh? I-I wouldn't want to be any trouble, Mr. Layton!" She tried to object but the professor insisted she had some tea after delivering his mail all the way to him personally. It was kind and besides...he had a question he really wanted to ask her, her working in the police force and all. Could she know _him_?

He never knew unless he asked.

Professor Layton smiled a small smile "Not at all, young madam, paying one back for such kindness is the duty of every Gentleman."

Lucy found Professor Hershel Layton to be a very interesting person. He was so polite and acted very calm and collected, someone whom was very trustworthy without question. The way he talked about being a gentleman was more than very nice and he seemed a bit like Alfendi in someway and she had to ask him a question. Could he be _his _father?

They both had a question to ask each other so, with a defeated sigh, Lucy caved in "Actually, I suppose I walked the whole morn to get here so I may need a ride. That and I had skipped breakfast."

Professor Layton nodded. Since she was so nice it was only fair to repay her this way. He would have to read the letter later as he stuffed it in his pocket and the nice old lady from before waving them goodbye before she limped her little way towards a nice cooler place from the beaming sunshine while the two began to walk off down the park and towards the Layton household...

Or what was the Layton household before it had became empty.

* * *

**A/N: Oooh, it seems that Lucy Baker had just met Professor Layton. We get the see them both have tea and we might even see how Professor Layton had met Alfendi in the first place all those years ago. **

**What do you guys think of this meeting? It wasn't strange was it? I had updated the first chapter from what it was when it was very firstly updated so I hoped I had improved it.**

**Please like it and review what you think if that's alright.**

**-Chloemcg**


	3. Roots of happiness

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else!**

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter.**

* * *

Lucy raised the rim of the small cup to her lips, taking a small sip of the steaming hot tea inside and she smiled a little as she felt the smooth, warm broth quickly touch every part in her mouth and then sliver down her throat.

She swallowed as she put the cup down on the small coffee table distancing both herself and Professor Layton. The two had been uncomfortably quiet ever since arriving at the small house and they constantly shifted in their seats as they would constantly take a sip of their tea before putting the little tea cups back down upon the coasters resting over the mahogany surface.

Professor Layton's house/office provided a nice warm environment as the bright yellow walls were quite nice and the cream carpet was nice to walk on. That and she found the sights and smells quite mesmerizing, it was so untidy yet it had this certain cleanliness about it. It sort of made her feel right at home!

Lucy decided to start up a conversation before things got too awkward "This is a nice place you got, Mr. Layton," she grinned "Its summat of a nice place to have a sip of tea. That and the puzzles here are a brain-picker too!"

The professor finally snapped out of his train of deep thought and chuckled rather nervously and mumbled something whilst fumbling around with that tall collar of his coat and wearing a small awkward smile "Um, er, thank you...Just "Professor Layton" would suffice, though, Mrs. Baker."

Lucy tut tutted, wagging a dismissive finger in the air. She didn't care much for formalities just like Alfendi and she wouldn't want an older man such as him to call him by that. She smiled while pointing to herself with a thumb pointed at her chest "Tsk, no need fer that. My names Lucy."

Professor Layton grinned. Lucy certainly was a wild little one yet she also had a kind heart. As a matter of fact, she sort of reminded him of a certain young boy who used to call himself his apprentice. Luke and Lucy seemed to have a lot in common in actuality and he couldn't even begin to deny that fact but still something bothered him, something that brought on a bit of nostalgic value in all honesty.

He really missed those days when he had a lot more value to science and constantly went on expeditions with his companions...but, just like his days with them, those interesting journeys and adventures had dulled to a sudden halt as time went by. It was actually sad to think about but he shouldn't think about the past, not with a visitor here at least.

"A gentleman never makes a scene in public let alone in front of a lady" is what he'd tell himself mentally right about now.

"Alright..." he hesitated, finding this beyond awkward "Lucy, allow me to ask you something if I may." He began nervously. This was so unbecoming of him, it was like a date with Claire all over again! Maybe its because this would bring back something most sad for him but still...

However Lucy too said something as she looked towards him, glancing down at the china cup in her hands and stirring the tea in her hands so she could see her reflection while avoiding eye contact with the top-hat gentleman "Aye, ask away. Although actually I have summat ta ask you too, Professor."

The professor decided to let Lucy ask her query first. It was only right to let a lady go first so he picked up his tea cup again and placed the saucer to his lips so he could inhale the scent of his favored home remedied brew and he closed his eyes as he done this. He listened with open ears as the question was asked.

"Do you know someone by the name of Alfendi Layton?"

And just like that Professor Layton actually spat out his tea in a total spit take and this was followed by a huge fit of coughing and spluttering as he doubled over whilst pounding his chest with one of his fists. This question certainly caught him off guard! Did she just ask him what he think he heard her ask!? How could she possibly know him, could this be related to the fact that she works at Scotland Yard too?!

His heart was racing and thumping inside his chest as his fist drummed against his chest to prevent his piping hot tea from actually being sucked down into his heart since it had clearly gotten stuck down his trachea at some point and, in other words, "went down the wrong way".

It felt like ages but it was really seconds until the Professor had finally stopped hacking up his tea and he was now doubled over with his head down.

Lucy was concerned. Did she ask something wrong? Why was he so shocked on hearing that name?

Maybe he was Alfendi's...!

Professor Layton cleared his throat gruffly before slowly composing himself, trying his best to not continue coughing his lungs out and scare the poor lass. He kept a well-maintained stone face although his voice was sounding a little too calm and refined as he asked as slowly as one could "Where in the blazes did you hear that name, young lady?" He raised a curious, stern brow and eyed her.

He seemed almost cross at her!

Lucy was near startled. What was with the sudden attitude change? All she did was ask a question! All of a sudden the professor had maintained the position of a parent ready to scold their child for playing a cruel prank on a neighbor. He eyed her sharply as she felt really uneasy and she could even feel a few beads of sweat trickling down her neck and forehead.

"Crikey!" She exclaimed, alarmed "I work with him, I-I'm his a-assistant in Sc-Sc-Scotland Yard!" She held up her palms in an attempt to calm the Professor down and she watched as the man wearing the top hat cooled himself down like an out of control steaming cup of tea and he looked very sad now as he stared down at his lap in shame, tipping the rim of his top hat down to shield his lowered face from his young guest.

"F-Forgive...me." The Professor suddenly croaked "...I had not expected to hear that, my dear." The rim of the hat dipped even lower if it were possible "...Alfendi Layton, or I am certain you nickname him Al, is my son."

Lucy gasped. So this man _is _Alfendi's father! Fancy that, that she would have to deliver a letter to her superior's dad but Alfendi never spoke much of him, or very highly for that matter, and there was also the fact that neither of them shared a single trait from each other apart from their genius minds and creative intellect.

What possible relations could this man share with the "Prof" she knows?

She sat there in silence, allowing this realisation to sink into her head. However her face held the one question that niggled at her mind and the Professor, of course, decided to answer the question her face was so desperately begging for.

Professor Layton sighed and finally looked up, his eyes showing pure sadness "...I'll tell you from the beginning, the beginning of how Alfendi first wound up in my life."

* * *

_29 years earlier..._

_Professor Layton walked along a sidewalk whilst his hands were buried in his coat pockets, his dot-like eyes cast down to the ground below and his olive green slip-on shoes that slowly clicked on the gloomy sidewalk. He wore a deep red scarf that was fastened around his neck due to the changing seasons and he could feel the cold nip at his nose._

_The puzzle enthusiast had just said his "goodbyes" to Luke (his young apprentice) a month or so ago and time dragged on from there. He knew that the grey dark skies were very telling that a thunder storm was inevitable and that it would come along soon to make everyone scatter into their homes but in all honesty the Professor didn't care right now._

_He hated being alone and felt not an incredible amount of value to the world right about now other than teach his students and to uncover secrets about fossils. He felt alright about it for awhile before he began to notice that his life was incredibly empty even with the few visitors he had to swarm him with company._

_Not even a good puzzle could cheer him up!_

_Professor Layton was horribly alone..._

_The idea of adopting a child or hiring a new assistant crossed his mind once or twice in the recent weeks gone by but nobody could replace Luke nor Emmy (a young lady who had left him just before Luke had to move away) and she was his assistant. He didn't like to reminisce on the past like this nor feel sorry for himself, knowing how pathetic for the great professor Layton to probably spoil his image among other people, but he couldn't care less right now._

_A sudden breeze suddenly brought him out of his lingering on the past as it began to blow at his back, blowing his coat forwards a bit from behind him. __The cold winds hit him hard and even made him freeze as he squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth. _

_It was numbing at best!_

_He needed to get home before he was attacked by the drops of rain that would come and make his cloudy day even more so. He adjusted his scarf and its blowing tails so it would cover his mouth and nose up and decided to push forwards before something else happened to make this day horrible but that was when he heard it..._

_A soft cry._

_The professor froze in place, taking the noise into full account as his brain tried to register what it was. It sounded like it was muffled, as if it was hidden from plain sight, yet it was still there._

_His eyes widened as he turned towards the direction the noise came from which brought him to a cautious turn on his heels to face his right where a gap between two shops had been presented to him._

_Upon closer inspection it was discovered to be a tunnel leading somewhere, most likely the docks._

_Curiosity driving him alone the professor wearily stepped into the darkness of the tunnel and he walked for a minute or two. He knew this tunnel led to the docks where London would pick up its cargo for delivery and such._

_Professor Layton wasn't even focusing on the sounds anymore since he had blocked them out for some reason...however that was before his foot accidentally kicked something as he walked. His foot accidentally bumped the side of a small cardboard box that sat alone in one side of the darkened tunnel and it was actually a bit battered from the rain or something since there was clearly a few smudges of the remnants belonging to some simple penning._

_The professor ignored the slight pain in his big toe for that careless move by the careless impact since he was more drawn to something else that followed the accidental knock of the useless box of hardened paper material._

_There was some more strange, high pitched sounds coming from within the slightly sealed up box so the professor could safely deduce that this was where the initial sounds came from so he decided to slowly kneel down in front of it to examine its contents._

_It must have been a prank or something but for some reason it didn't feel like that._

_He could most definitely hear something inside the box._

_Slowly and carefully, Professor Layton peered down upon the top of the box and reluctantly lifted the folds meant to close the it but he was overcome with shock from what he saw within as a sharp gasp managed to escape his throat and his mouth gaped open in mere disbelief._

_Laying inside the basket, wrapped up in a soft shawl-like cloth, was the tiny form of a small infant. It appeared to have been a newborn but it also looked older than he thought from the fact that it had sleepily dragged open its heavy eyelids, revealing a pair of unique yellow-golden eyes staring up at him with a sleepy curiosity while he brought up two tiny fists to rub at his eyes to wake himself up._

_A mop of purple wavy hair had covered most of the tiny thing's teeny head as its pointy nose was pointed up towards the top hat-wearing archeologist. T__he child's mouth formed into a small curious "o" shape and his face twisted in confusion as he made a small gurgle of awe. The child's expression seemed very inquisitive, actually._

_The professor could hardly believe his eyes as he looked around for anyone who could have left this baby alone recently but found nobody matching that description._

_Nobody at all, in fact._

_His eyes went back down to the infant who seemed to grow more and more awake as the seconds ticked by, partially the fault of the bump his container had received moments ago on the gentleman's part._

_Professor Layton was completely unsure what to think in this moment in time as his heart exploded from the mere shock of this moment._

_However he decided to examine the little one more closely as he adjusted his own position to look for anything else that could tell him about the paternity of this child and whom he belongs to, even though the more he studied him the more he realised that this tiny infant was actually abandoned._

_By now the man's head was a mess of questions. Apart from the original thought of "what would a baby be doing here?" there would have to be "who left him here?" And "where has his parents gone?" as he seemed a little too young to be unsupervised and without a parent. As a matter of fact, professor Layton discovered, this child couldn't be much older than maybe 5 months old._

_Professor Layton adjusted his top hat to get a better view and noticed a small tag on the baby's blanket that had been titled "Alfendi", most likely a name that the child had been left with before he had been left in this sorry state._

_He gave the child a kind, yet forced smile as he knew he had to say something to break this silence "Hello there, little one." He spoke, his voice was soft and compassionate._

_The infant simply stared up at him in confusion at least not before looking at its surroundings which involved the dark, wet, brown walls of its humble little makeshift bed. He seemed to have been very confused of what had brought him here. Then he looked around more thoroughly but a sudden gust of cold wind blew over and made the infant shudder from the frigid air._

_The professor noticed the shiver of Alfendi's body and suddenly felt sympathetic for the little fellow. The upcoming storm along with this time of year was clearly very cold and the rain wouldn't be pleasant for anyone to stay in if they could help it. The professor knew that even the cries of this child wouldn't bring anyone to its rescue even if he cried his hardest, the thunder and lightning would be too loud probably._

_Suddenly a whimpered sob broke out from the little one's throat, his large eyes beginning to tear up to signal that he was about to cry. The reasons for this was probably the cold brewing._

_The professor couldn't leave him out here alone!_

_He had to stop the baby from crying out and attracting unwanted attention and before he could even register what was happening, his arms had stretched down and coiled around the little one as he scooped him up and reeled him in closely._

_Herhsel Layton held the child into the warmth seeping in through the clothing on his chest whilst crooning as softly as he could muster in his well-contained calming attitude to bring some form of comfort to the little one. He could feel the infant's resistance as he tried to push away with all his feeble might but the professor just continued to wrap him in his coat and hold him as close as possible._

_The baby's whimpers turned into full blown cries now._

_"No, no, no, no...don't cry little one, I'm here now." He found himself whispering to the little boy named Alfendi whilst cradling him in the crook of his arm. He knew how to act around little babies when the time called for it, he had cared for Luke when he was a baby himself after all._

_The archeologist closed his eyes and allowed himself to be lost in that position, holding the young infant in his grasp and he drifted off into deep thought on the spot. __The single thought that had pushed towards the front of his mind would now be: What was he to do, having found this lone child?_

_Professor Layton couldn't exactly tell you very much about the situation at hand but it was slightly easy to tell that Alfendi had been left here for quite some time judging from the state of the box he was inside and that some rain had seeped in through the tunnel ceiling and must have dampened the box the little one was in._

_Plus Alfendi seemed hungry and quite lonely so there was another indication of his long abandoned state._

_"Shhhh...there, there." The professor hushed over and over again._

_Time passed and Alfendi's wails mellowed into hiccups and whimpers. He seemed to have been calming down a bit as he snuggled into his savior's arms and felt the warmth of his body heat kick in and warm him up. __This seemed to have done the trick as Alfendi found himself staring back up at the professor again with saddened, lonesome eyes._

_Professor Layton's forced smile turned into a genuine one as he bounced the orphaned infant in his arms to calm and relax him. The archeologist's black little eyes softened to match the kind smile he wore as he slowly turned the child's cries into laughter. The child managed to free an arm from its binds and it waved about aimlessly in the air, flailing with quick precision._

_It actually reminded the Professor of a puzzle he had been meaning to complete before he went out on this stroll._

_Professor Layton had noticed that the little boy was reaching towards his top hat, clearly wanting to play with it. Of course, under normal circumstances, professor Layton wouldn't dream of his head parting from the beloved hat of his normal formality but this wasn't a normal circumstance as it would have it so he done something which both surprised himself and appeared to have surprised the little infant wrapped tightly in his embrace:_

_He took off his hat and handed it to the little boy._

_The baby curiously held the large head accessory in his teeny, pudgy hands and his saucer-like eyes gleamed from the tears he had previously cried but also from the admirable curiosity shooting through his feeble little being. Those yellow-amber eyes of his began to light up in this muted interest as the tiny newborn silently examined the refined peice of headwear._

_Meanwhile, the archeologist smiled softly and adjusted the tiny boy so he could elevate him up towards his face, allowing him to touch his cheeks if he desired and he observed the baby with a little smile on his face._

_"Hahaha, easy now..." The professor laughed for what seemed like the first in ages and he found himself squeezing one eye closed as Alfendi reached his little arms upwards and placed the hat back on the adult's head albeit in a wonky position that made it tilt towards one side to cover up one eye but Professor Layton didn't mind in the least._

_The professor held a little giggling Alfendi in at arms distance before his arms retracted and he and nuzzled him lovingly "Papa will take care of you, my little one." He planted a gentle kiss on the baby's head, earning a sweet giggle that melted his heart._

_Never did the professor ever considering referring to himself as "Papa" or "Daddy" but he wanted to look after this sweet little boy, no "ifs" "ands" or "buts" about it!_

_He climbed to his aching feet slowly, gently wrapping Alfendi in his soggy blue blankets, and rocked him a little to keep him happy._

_He kept little Alfendi hidden in the bundle so nobody else would eye him during the walk home and the professor knew that he needed to give this needy little boy a place to live, besides it could extinguish that lonesome feeling that had long since plagued him._

_With that said, Professor Layton bundled Alfendi in his arms and began to make the long trek back towards his house with his hat still in that wonky position. He didn't have the heart to correct the position of his top hat so left it there to make Alfendi happy._

* * *

Professor Layton hung his head, pinching the bridge of his nose with two of his fingers to try and relieve the small pool of nostalgia filling in a hole in his heart that he thought had long been permanent.

He lifted his head and put his hand down on his lap to overlap the other hand that rested on his knee yet his face was etched in the nostalgia that seemed to impale his back like an ice cold knife.

He frowned down heartedly at Lucy who had a look of sincere shock and sympathy on her face "...That, my dear, is how Alfendi had came into my life." He swallowed a stone that had formed in his throat to prevent inevitable tears from streaking down his cheeks and betraying his utter despair.

Silence had loomed over the pair and neither of them wished to break it.

Lucy had to wonder though, what happened between Alfendi and Professor Layton? Why did he never speak of him in full detail? Why did he never speak highly of him when his father was brought up? This story made her usually stilled, calm and neat mind a mess and tangle of questions that she couldn't answer. The main one that overpowered them all was:

What on earth could have broke such a loving father and son apart?

Finally, filled with uncertainty of how to react to this, Lucy nodded her head to the Professor without a word and mumbled as she approached the door "...Thank ya for the tea, Professor Layton." Her expression was shielded by her cap as she didn't look at him while opening the door to make her leave "I've got to get to work or Prof will be mad at me if I were to get there late."

Lucy's Yorkshire-accented voice was filled with an unusual mix of confusion and disbelief, as if she didn't know what to believe anymore.

The professor didn't want to point it out but it was now 11:20 PM so she was undoubtedly late for work but he could not even mutter a single word after that story. He missed Alfendi and wanted nothing more than to run to him and tell him how much he meant in his life. All he managed to say, however, was a simple yet meek "Thank you for the letter" before Lucy shut the door behind her.

Professor Layton let out a long sigh he didn't even realise he held inside him. He stood up to stretch his aching legs but found himself wandering towards the mirror that had been covered in a thick layer of dust that he wiped a small portion away with a hand, leaving behind a pristine smear that managed to reveal his reflection underneath it.

His expression wistful the professor reached up towards his hat, placing two fingers softly along the rim before he tipped the head accessory to one side so it would become wonky on his head; the same position Alfendi had left it the day they had met each other...

"Alfendi..." Layton murmured sadly. He realised that he never asked Lucy his question but it didn't matter anymore, that was already answered. She did know Alfendi.

But what was he to do now?

* * *

**A/N: That's how Professor Layton had met Alfendi (in my version, anyway). I will get over the sadness soon, though, so no need to worry and what will Lucy do when she finally confronts Alfendi about the broken relationship with his father?**

**Find out soon and if you have any suggestions then please say so. I also have a little surprise for all of you...A SHIPPING! I'll try and make it so later when things get underway.**

**Thanks.**

**-Chloemcg**


	4. A quick dual

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else! **

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter.**

* * *

Lucy opened the door to the Mystery room, her mind still a ball of questions and thoughts. She didn't know what to think anymore but not only that, her mind was beginning to burn from a certain memory that always found a way to spoil her good mood.

She walked in and ignored Alfendi who was oblivious to this dark mood she was in.

"You are late, Lucy, where were you?" He asked, no emotion in his voice as he shifted through files and envelopes on his desk. He didn't even turn around to look at her until he heard her footsteps stop behind him, not really seeming like a big deal until she asked in a low croak of her voice.

"...Why did you do that to him, Prof?" She asked suddenly, her voice low and croaky.

Alfendi stopped what he was doing, his eyes wide. She can't possibly be talking about what he thought she was, she couldn't know about that! How could she anyway!? He dropped the files that left an echoed thud on the table in his own ears as his wide yellow-gold orbs widened and he slowly turned around to look at her and he was honestly startled to find her expression dark and massive streams of tears were meandering down each cheek like miniature waterfalls.

Lucy's watery eyes were narrowed in anger and she clenched her fists towards her superior in a demanding way "Why did ya do that to your own father!?" She yelled and she was now quaking and trembling in anger as she sniffed up any reluctance she had at pulling back.

Alfendi was now beyond shocked that Lucy was acting like the complete opposite of her normal, cheerful personality. He took a shaky step back, refusing to fight her even though she may want to. He was confused but even more surprised that Lucy spoke of his father, how could she know about that?! Alfendi tried not to glare at her as he spoke as calmly as he could even though he could feel his "Potty" side begin to try and take control even though "Placid" wanted to find a way to avoid a fight with her first.

His heart thudded. He didn't know what to do to handle this, he couldn't fight her.

"Now, now..." He tried to calm her "Calm down, Lucy."

However Lucy didn't seem in the right state of mind to listen. She wanted answers now! She waved a tightly clenched fist to Alfendi with her eyes burning with this intense rage that tore her on the inside out. She scowled at him and rapidly shook her head, refusing to listen to reason despite her usually more optimistic attitude.

"N-No, Alfendi! I want answers right n-now!" She yelled, her whole body shaking from suspension. She was hurting undoubtedly but why? She must have been full of despair at this point since every word she spoke was practically soaked in that cocktail of emotions. As a matter of fact, she was so full of grief that she wandered towards a fencing sword that was put in a glass case but how she spotted it amongst the stacks of paper and discarded items such as pens and stuff was a mystery as she carefully removed the lid of the case and took the sword into her possession, pointing it at Alfendi and giving him a scorn that matched her tear-filled eyes.

Alfendi didn't say a word so instead he removed a lance out from a small hidden compartment beneath his desk before he stood, ready to dual it out until the truth was ready to be heard from him.

They both stood on opposite ends of the mystery room, waiting for the other to make a move. Neither inspector nor detective constable really intended to cause each other actual harm but it would probably be a good form of stress relief. Alfendi was only doing this in self defense so he wasn't planning on having his sword pointed at Lucy but he wasn't about to let go of the truth he tried to run away from for all these years. He glared at his assistant as Lucy lashed out and pointed her sword at him whilst the Inspector pointed his lance forwards too, the two blades touching.

Alfendi growled through gritted teeth as he yelled, his hair turning dishevelled and crimson in colour again "Engarde!"

"Grrrr..." Lucy growled in counter as the two lifted their blades as they remained collided and, from the sheer friction of those two blades, they actually broke off and stared at each other.

The inspector tugged at the collars of his lab coat and stood there. Alfendi (now in his "Potty" persona) smirked through the same gritted teeth as he studied his opponent. Honestly he didn't want to do this, to fight his own assistant, but it had to be done clearly since Lucy was not in the right state of mind to listen to reason right about now even though the fact that she probably knew about his father and him not getting along was somewhat fascinating.

They continued to slash swords at each other in a fencing sort of way even though Potty Prof was much better in every way, shape and form and he wasn't even attacking her but he was using his lance for self defense. The two kept at it in the mystery room until finally Lucy grown tired and heavily breathed yet the sword was still in her clasp.

The young man blinked before pulling his sword up to the air, dropping it to the floor with a sharp "clang" and he stomped a foot on the ground with the intent of challenging her as he waited for his friend to make her move "C'mon then, mrs. Baker, come at me..." He lowered his head "At least you'd be killing one of us and probably making my father happy..."

He waited for that fatal blow to be delivered by the young woman but she couldn't do it. She was too weak to kill her mentor and friend. He gasped in surprise and his usually evilly-twisted eyes widened when he saw her legs give in right underneath her and she collapsed to the floor heavily, sobbing as she done so.

She fell to her knees and sobbed hardly and heavily, her body shaking as she curled up into the smallest ball possible and her entire world around her faded into nothingness. She felt so weak and defenseless, like she would be worthless to have around and she also felt like everyone was mocking her very existence as she curled up on the floor.

Lucy Baker felt hopeless...

Until she felt something stroke her back.

She gazed out from her curled up position and was surprised to see the Inspector Alfendi was now back to his "Placid" form, his wild crimson hair now back to its normal wavy purple colour. He had this soft, compassionate look in his eyes as he smiled gently at her despite the fact that she and him had a dual seconds ago.

It was easy to figure out that Alfendi had knelt down beside her after she fell to the floor so he could have some eye contact with her and he leaned his head in towards the gap between her head and legs where she could see him and he gently managed to coax her out from her little makeshift ball and the two sat on the floor, utterly silent.

Eventually however Alfendi found his voice and stroked Lucy's shoulder "You know about my father, don't you?" He asked while averting eye contact. He could feel the newspapers that were usually stuffed in his pockets tumble out from their compartments but he didn't really care for that right now.

Lucy sighed and sniffled. She could feel her anger diminishing a little as she took some deep breaths even though she really wanted to get answers moments ago and answered with a feeble nod. "Aye" She looked to Alfendi "...Ya do know that your father does not harbour that kinda feelings towards ya, right?"

Alfendi looked at her with a raised brow but he scoffed "Of course he hates me, I-I nearly tore his top hat in half! I ran away from home!" His hair began to turn back to crimson as his breathing quickly became erratic and panicked and his eyes widened to the point of nearly bulging out from his eye sockets as it was his turn to start crying.

Lucy was shocked into silence. Her boss, the most calmest man possible, was crying and hyperventilating! This was so shocking that she decided to do what he did for her moments ago: she reached an arm towards him and stroked his shoulder supportively with a caring smile. She felt Alfendi's shoulder grow less tense under her touch as she rubbed it comfortingly to try and soothe her friend's hurting hurt.

Alfendi was clearly regretful for the severed relationship he has with his father and he hung his head and the fact that he was broken-hearted didn't really help it all that much if you were to try talking about it. Lucy decided not to push him anymore about it since she kind of got the picture of what happened between them both.

"...I would completely understand if he never wants to see me again afterwards."

Lucy gave a sigh of her own. Sounded to her like Al needed a little something to cheer him up and she needed something too. She did have an idea of what to do to accomplish this feat and she grinned with the suggestion "Prof, should we do some work? It might take our minds off of certain things so we might as well get cracking!"

She helped Alfendi stand up and she dragged the young man along to the desk. It was hard to believe that Lucy was crying her eyes out moments ago, it was like she was never sad at all. That high spirit of hers was truly something that should be admired but Alfendi thought that her cleverness and her cheerful attitude was not the only thing to be admired.

He decided to be quiet for now and comply with her wishes. He grinned as he decided to walk along with her so they could solve another one of crimes mysterious puzzles that had been set up by the filthy hands of killers and so he could tear it all apart and piece it together like always.

"...Indeed, you are correct, Lucy." He managed a small heartfelt smile "Thank you."

However he had to wonder how she knew about his father...

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the quick chapter. I thought I would make one for Alfendi and Lucy, plus they have a quick sword fight. **

**You must be wondering when the adventure will begin? Well it will begin really soon so please review and if you all have suggestions then feel welcome to. It seems that Alfendi admires Lucy in more ways than one even though he doesn't seem to realise that his feelings are stronger than that.**

**I can't wait to write more.**

**-Chloemcg**


	5. Professor Layton goes to Scotland Yard

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else! **

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter.**

* * *

Professor Layton sat once again at his desk, unable to do anything else but think.

Ever since Lucy had visited him earlier all he could think about was Alfendi. It was as if that memory of finding the boy had reawakened a part he had long since locked away within him and therefore had begun waking more and more memories of Alfendi inside his mind.

He couldn't be more shocked to discover that he had in fact noticed something puzzling in the morning papers after re-reading the one that had been published quite recently that he had recalled and decided to read again and the headlines were: **Scotland Yard's horrible secret, revealed to public.**

A horrible feeling gnawed at the pit of the puzzle-loving Professor's stomach when he uncovered something incredibly shocking. Alfendi had apparently attacked someone but not only that, but he had also suffered from a case of SPD! When he was in the state so crudely named "Potty Prof", he apparently went on a blood lust and became obsessed with criminals and tackled a pedestrian whom had happened to pass by the scene. The gory details were something that Professor Layton didn't wish to read ever again regarding Alfendi.

He currently sat there, holding the old newspaper in his hands as he dropped it down on the desk with his eyes staring off into space.

The gentleman couldn't stomach the thought of Alfendi being punished for something so monstrous. How and why would he do something so inhuman?! From the sounds of things, he needed to speak with Al as soon as possible...

He didn't know what to say to Alfendi let alone think of a perfectly good excuse to get in. He did know that he indeed needed to see Alfendi again and try and see what was happening to him! He erected his back as he got ready to stand up from his seat and finally get a move on since it was now official: His son needed his help!

It hurt his legs a bit to stand up so suddenly but he hardly cared about it. He grabbed his coat and looped it over his shoulder before he pivoted on the balls of his heels towards the door with the letter he had been delivered in his trouser pocket and he bolted out the door so he could make haste towards Scotland Yard quickly as he didn't want to waste a second in visiting his son and asking him of what was going on with his life.

The top hat-wearing gentleman rushed down the road outside with his dark brown trench coat still draped over his shoulder and blowing in the breeze behind him as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him with the limited speed he could ever go at.

Professor Layton's heart slammed in his chest as it sent a rush of adrenaline through his veins and he could swear that the sun beaming down on him was making him sweat profusely, either that or the nerves of seeing his son for the first time in years was actually getting to him. He hadn't seen Alfendi for years and had distanced himself from the lad as he presumed he wished since he had the impression that his boy wanted nothing to do with him.

It did hurt to be left all alone, though...

The dark feeling of loneliness crept into his soul as he ran with this burning determination searing through his eyes. He would have gritted his teeth in equal determination but he wasn't going quite as fast enough to do that yet and didn't really feel a need to do so. He had to hold on to the rim of his top hat to prevent it from blowing away in the wind that blew in his face as if to push him back.

The puzzle enthusiast didn't even know how long he was running as the roads dragged on in front of him. However he did manage to skid to a abrupt halt when he finally found himself standing outside the station and he stood before the doors for awhile in hesitance.

Why was he suddenly so reluctant?

He needed to talk to Alfendi, didn't he? A gentleman wasn't supposed to be afraid of anything!

He swallowed a rock-sized lump that had formed in his throat and he gulped. The professor could feel sweat seeping through the tan skin of his palms as he stood there paralysed. He quaked a little but managed to snap out of it when he remembered the situation at hand and he managed to put a weary foot in front of the other until he started to walk up the stairs of the police station.

He felt the lights glare down upon him in an uncomfortably intense glow as he entered the building and he walked down the marble coated halls that had policemen and constables walking up and down, doing whatever and going wherever they desired. They didn't mind the famous archeologist since he had become a good frequent visitor despite his son's reluctance to see him.

The Professor took deep, even breaths as he walked down the hallway and eventually found himself standing before the guard who he had encountered many a time before. This was the man who had always stood in the way of him seeing Alfendi and usually tossed him about when he tried relentlessly to visit the young man.

"...What do _you _want, Professor Hershel Layton?" The guard asked with a stone glare.

Professor Layton swallowed back the fear he had accumulated before he returned the glare the other man wore to intimidate him. He drew in a calm breath before exhaling with an equal heavy weight and he clenched his fists by his sides to try and relieve the anger boiling up inside him.

"Ahem," He cleared his throat steadily "I am here to see Inspector Alfendi Layton. May I please see him?" His voice was chilled yet there was a slight stern edge to it, indicating that he was really wanting to see Alfendi after so many years of this foolish distancing.

However the guard just scoffed, a smug grin tugging at his lips. Clearly he was still adamant on allowing the professor access into the crime building beyond him and he was undoubtedly going to do whatever it took that would prevent him from completing his goal. He slammed a fist on the desk and began to speak in a gruff voice which held no sympathy whatsoever.

"Oh that guy doesn't want to see you, Professor." He grinned "Why don't you go back to solving ridiculous puzzles?"

If there wasn't bullet proof glass then the professor would have rammed a fist into it out of pure rage in an attempt to punch the smug guard's face but he knew that it would be downright un-gentlemanly do act so rudely and violently so decided to keep calm and collected even though he had now got to the stage of gritting his teeth and nearly biting his lower lip.

He inhaled, closing his eyes, before exhaling and begin his argument as calmly as he could "Sir, I do not want to stand here quarrelling with you but I shall ask once more: _please _let me see my son or else I will complain."

The guard continued to be stubborn as he scoffed once more and sneered at the professor with slitted eyes and a grin that would make even the coolest of tempers rise up to dangerous levels until the one who maintains that temper explodes like the embers of an active volcano.

He spoke smugly whilst drumming his fingers against his desk in a rhythm "Hmmm...you must have been a pretty bad father to that pathetic sniveling weasel of an inspector if he doesn't want to see the most highly esteemed person in all of London."

That done it. The Professor was now dipping the rim of his top hat low over his eyes and he was now seething where he stood. His hands were quaking and his voice was low and growly, much like that of a growling bull dog who had been angered in some catastrophic manner. He put his coat on and wringed his sleeves as he fastened the cuffs of his arms.

How DARE he question his work, his parenting skills and he called his son a sniveling weasel!? He would have loved to smack him even if this was really unbecoming of him, perhaps he was just growing a bit protective of his boy and the isolation had done something to his mental state?

He didn't know but right now, he didn't really care either!

He didn't have time to do anything rash, however, as a rough clearing of another voice had sounded aloud and warranted both of the men to look in its direction so they could see who it was.

Professor Layton was near startled when he saw who it was who owned that clear of the throat.

"Ah! C-Constabl-um, I mean, C-Commissioner B-Barton!" He exclaimed whilst regaining his refined composure and trying to get a frantic hold of his level head.

The older man simply nodded sternly at the gentleman's direction before turning his attention towards the stuck-up guard who seized up instantly upon seeing his higher ranking officer and boss. He was now terrified of being caught antagonizing the poor archaeologist/puzzle enthusiast sporting the top hat.

The commissioner stomped towards the guard and scowled through the glass protecting him from any physical damage but that didn't mean he couldn't be wounded verbally "What is the meaning of this, Mr. Bleakly?"

The pompous guard (who was named Mr. Bleakly) froze and began stumbling and stammering worriedly although he was shakily pointing at the Professor and squeaking.

The commissioner would have none of it, though, and he simply cut him off "Salary evaluation, that is all!"

With that he motioned for Professor Layton to follow him which the gentleman happily obliged. The two walked in silence after that and proceeded to walk down the halls of the building towards the Mystery room, ignoring the glare being burned into the back of their heads and they didn't know what to feel as they hadn't seen each other for so long even though they had the occasional phone chat and would chat about Alfendi's vaguely mentioned well fare.

Neither men said a word to one another. They didn't know what to say to each other right now.

However Professor Layton did manage speak while they wandered down an endless corridor that dragged on just like the route he had taken here to Scotland yard "Thank you for the assistance, Barton, I never thought you would have that in you..." he smiled down at the shorter man whom just stared at the route of different halls in his wake but a small smile did hide beneath his bristly ivory mustache.

"Hm," He chuckled lightly as he recalled his younger days as a constable working under inspector Chelmey "indeed, Professor Layton, it is good to see you as well." he turned his head towards the gentleman wearing the top hat and smirked "You haven't even changed a bit, I don't see any grays in your hair!"

Professor Layton grinned. It was true that he actually looked the same as always and didn't really change at all as the age affected him. However it did affect him in some ways, for example he had started a small limp in his right leg that was honestly irritable to the professor but he still soldiered on and endured it. He let out a small laugh and shoved his hands into his pockets, glancing down sideways at the older man walking alongside him "Truer words were never said, my friend, but age does effect me one way or rather it seems."

Commissioner Barton knew that Hershel Layton was referring to the fact that he was diagnosed with a developing arthritis that caused that slight limp he would have on occasion. He nodded in agreement but then quirked a bushy brow up to the taller man wearing the brown silk top hat "Indeed it seems that way, Layton. But I must ask what you are doing here in Scotland yard?"

The professor hesitated on telling the reason but done so anyway. He didn't lie, it wasn't in his nature unless it was absolutely necessary. He spoke with a low voice "I heard what Alfendi had done not so long ago and how he has Split personality disorder. I came to see him and check to see how he was doing..." he looked aside shamefully "even if he doesn't wish to see me."

The commissioner was quiet. Ever since that incident, Alfendi was under major house arrest so he wouldn't hurt anyone else. The only acceptations were himself and Mrs. Baker since she had quite the bond with him and knew how to handle both his personas. Anyone else would just slip a note underneath his door or something and questioning sessions were held with strict supervision, so now the poor lad was trapped here.

However Professor Layton chose now to see him? why was this? Even now there was still some reluctance in his voice and it seemed that Alfendi and Professor Layton had a quarrel awhile back which had caused a rift between them.

...Maybe Alfendi _should _talk with his father, with strict supervision of course.

"Would you like to see him, then?"

Professor Layton was surprised by this question. Of course he would love to see Alfendi! He hadn't seen him in so long and he had missed his boy without question.

He froze for a moment before he nodded slowly and carefully. The commissioner slowly turned on his feet when he realised that the professor was no longer following him and he looked at the partially terrified gentleman with a gentle look in his eye. Sighing he went back and took the professor's hand before leading him towards the Mystery room.

It took a few moments of quiet silence but they were soon at the door of the infamous "mystery room" which had been the talk of Scotland Yard.

The door of this room puzzled Professor Layton as he felt pride tug at his heart strings. Alfendi really had accomplished a lot from what he had heard and it made him a really proud father to hear that his son was accomplishing in the community of law and intellect. Alfendi Layton, inspector, was a very good and prosperous title indeed!

However when he reached to open it Commissioner Barton's voice rang out from behind him "What? What in the devil happened for that to be possible!?" He shouted into a radio phone with a face full of panic "Alfendi has gone upon the request of whom-!?"

The professor turned to face the former constable with confusion etched on his face. What happened, did Alfendi go somewhere? Where did he go if that was the case, wasn't he allowed to go out to places?

He watched as the commissioner finished his call and placed the phone in his holster and he placed two hands behind his back with his head hung awfully low and he spoke grimly "...Alfendi and his assistant Mrs. Baker have gone to see Doctor Schrader for some reason of rather!"

This was surprising. Alfendi had gone on the request of Dr. Andrew Schrader, his old mentor!? What could the old man possibly want with his son...? Hmmm. He had an idea or two of what it could be but it didn't matter since either way, he had to get to the university quick haste or else he'd probably miss it!

Without saying another word he basically bolted back down the hall the way they came and the commissioner stood there staring after him with a thoughtful finger scratching at his chin. He gave a low grumble and he sighed shamefully as he said something that nobody else but the professor should have heard.

"...I hope the poor man doesn't find out."

* * *

**A/N: There goes Professor Layton! He finally got himself into action, didn't he?! Let's see where this takes us shall we but then again it may already be clear to you about what's happening. **

**Btw, I know that this would probably make dr. Schrader really old now but this is for the purpose of the story! Let's see what happens next!**

**Please review if you can. I would appreciate it.**

**-Chloemcg**


	6. Schrader's final request

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else!**

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter.**

* * *

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him again, a sudden burst of energy arising out of nowhere.

Professor Layton hadn't ran this fast in ages. He could feel his heart jumping about heavily within his chest as he made fast turns around corners, gripping on tight to his top hat so it wouldn't go blowing off suddenly as he constantly sped around corners despite his aging bones rubbing against each other inside his creakily old legs.

He narrowed his eyes in much determination as he ran with a stone face. He had this unfamiliar feeling flashing through his mind and coursing through his body as he made the biggest dash through the London streets he ever had made.

He had to get to Alfendi but he also had to make sure that Dr Schrader was alright!

The gentleman continued to run without any intention of back-pedaling and he could have sworn that he accidentally barreled over a few innocent bystanders as he ran but he didn't much care as he was in an urgent hurry, nothing could stop that! He breathed heavily as he tried to calm his heart rate right down even though it was pounding.

A true gentleman needed to get some exercise, after all. Especially in life and death situations.

He could feel the sun beaming heavily against his shoulders and over his back. Why was he feeling so frightened for his good friend as he skidded sideways for a moment before dashing down a corner. His face of perseverance was glued to his otherwise blank face, his breath constantly hitching in his throat out of a small amount of dread but mostly fright of what event will occur next.

The top hat-wearing gentleman found his sight beheld by a small house that was hidden right beside the Greensheller university which he recognized as the house of the old archaeologist Dr. Schrader and it was never looking so nostalgic. It looked so different, so abandoned and dark, than when he first came to this house.

He remembered that interview with the man like it was yesterday as he semi realized that he had stopped in place and stared off towards the rickety old home with wistfully misty black eyes that had a somewhat longing presence within them and his frown was more than confirming to this feeling.

His fingers even twitched lightly and feverishly. He hesitated on going in there for two reasons:

Apparently Alfendi was inside and there was the fact that the kind old man named doctor Schrader was...

He screwed his eyes shut and looked away hastily as bile began to build up in his throat, making him feel nauseous for some reason. He couldn't finish that thought for the best reason possible as it was too hard to comprehend yet natural at the same time for every human being.

'_Get over it, Hershel, now is not the time to be dragging your memories from the past.' _A little voice within his head whispered to him much like a soft murmur of the wind that would softly blow passed ones ear. He shook his head briskly to snap himself from his state of hesitant paralysis. He forced his leg joints to activate and he thumped his feet along the side path. He jogged in place for a moment before making a mad dash across the road.

Professor Layton took off across the road like a dart flying through the air and didn't stop running towards the house which his old mentor stayed in. He just had a determined face glued to his facial expression and he could feel the tall collar of his old brown trench coat blow backwards from the wind blowing in his face along with the thin back of the brown coat flapping in the wind like a flag standing atop a grand landmark.

He barely avoided being run over by a car or two on the way across the road but managed to make it towards the college and the house which acted as a makeshift hospice where the inhabitant wished to stay in and spend his final days inside, most likely the reason both Alfendi and himself had been called to this very household. He stopped on the doormat with his shadow cast over the closed door in his wake.

Layton swallowed nervously as he once again hesitated on opening the door.

Dr. Schrader chose to live among some fungus and overgrown foliage in a tree-laden woodland area which filled the back and around the collage like some sort of barricade. It was sort of humble but it also provided such a tranquil, peaceful environment that was enough to make even the coldest of men take in this amount of beauty that filled this small landscape.

This place was barely touched by the sunlight that managed to peak through some leaves clouding most of the skies above. Professor Layton swallowed a stone sized lump in his throat and slowly reached on harm forwards and gave a slight push of the front door. He watched as the door slowly peaked open with a heavy "creak".

He slowly walked into the house where he quickly found both Alfendi and Lucy surrounding a small bed yet they made sure that they were stood at the foot of the bed and thus preventing the professor from seeing the bed-ridden figure completely. He managed to get a good look at the back of Alfendi's head at least and he could see a major difference from what happened years ago to now.

He quietly stood behind the two Scotland Yard officers, making sure they could not hear him as he examined the scene around him.

Alfendi's usually unkept hair was now mops of purple locks. He also wore a heavy white coat and apparently had some rolled up newspapers tucked inside each pocket on either side of his poorly-fitting material. He also maintained a scruffy appearance from the back and the professor could tell this just from the back of his son.

Lucy stood beside him yet she didn't look much different than before.

Silently, the professor approached to the bed with a cautious expression on his face. Now the time had finally come to try and see his little Alfendi after all these years of disconnection. Their relationship had been severed by a really heated argument which he didn't wish to start up again but he had to try and make things right.

Then a sudden creak sounded.

That noise quickly made Alfendi and Lucy turn on their feet and stare wide eyed at professor Layton.

The three exchanged a three-way-stare and they each felt their hearts come to a sudden stop. Their heartbeats were now non existent except for the heartbeat-like sounds echoing in each of their own minds as they stared at one another.

Nobody said a word to each other until Professor Layton gulped and raised a hand up in a motionless wave, an awkward smile pulling on his lips "Um...H-Hello, son."

Professor Layton would have face palmed. Really, that was the best thing he could think of?! Even for a gentleman that was sort of pathetic! That was humiliating but he just stared right at the emotionless eyeballs that belonged to Alfendi, his open mouth quivering subconsciously and his brows lowered, his yellow-golden irises becoming glassy as he tried to maintain a gentle composure that would match his current "placid prof" persona.

Even though his look mixed with despair and shock, Alfendi meekly mouthed a slow "Hello" yet he and Lucy turned their attentions back to the sick man laying in bed as another hard cough filled the hushed atmosphere in the cabin-like room. The professor slowly approached the end of the bed and went to join up with Al and Lucy so he could finally get a look at his old mentor's face and he was overcame with a grim despair.

Dr. Schrader coughed weakly, his ghostly white complexion looking so severely sickly. There were huge bags around his ocular senses, his glasses were just fitting over those heavy eyes. He also had a damp snow white beard most likely soaking with sweat. He looked incredibly exhausted because of the toll his long journey through life had on his already weak body. He was incredibly old, almost impossibly old. He stared up at his old friend with a weak smile.

"Ah...My old friend." Schrader gasped as he weakly stretched a hand out towards the professor whom smiled sadly down at him.

"I-I'm right here, doctor." Hershel Layton said softly whilst gently taking the outstretched hand into his own "I find it rude for any gentleman to turn down a friend."

Professor Layton felt tears sting at his eyes. He now knew what was going on, actually he thought he always knew...but didn't want this truth to be reality. Yet it seemed like his fears were confirmed as he captured his dying old mentor. This kind man had carried him along and helped him move on from Claire's death long ago and he was very much like a second, or third, father to him. He didn't want to cry right now, he couldn't!

He smiled at Andrew Schrader with the most compassionate of gazes he could muster at such a time. He could feel the warmth vanishing from the doctor's hand and the doctor of archaeology began to grow limp and near motionless as his breathing slowed down. He didn't have much time left!

Slowly Dr. Schrader grabbed on to a small stack of documents that sat in a neat pile on top of the bedside table and gingerly laid them down on his covered lap. He stiffly passed the files towards both in Professor Layton and Alfendi's direction to which Alfendi slowly reacted by trapping his fingers atop of the documents as he pulled them towards himself and whence he had them in his possession, he began to read through them all.

While Al was doing this, the professor asked with an almost fearful voice as he kept his hand in the older man's grip "W-Wait, what were those for?" he looked deep into his old mentor's onyx eyes to find an answer but what those eyes told him was enough to shake his head in denial. Professor Layton squeezed his eyes shut to prevent tears from sliding down his cheeks like how Claire vanished from his life back during one of Luke's last adventure.

He gave a wobbly inhale through his mouth before letting out a flat exhale also through his mouth. He couldn't deny this much longer, doctor Schrader needed some support from the ones he looked down upon like they were his children back in his much younger days.

He rubbed a gentle thumb against Andrew's hand and drew circles on the knuckles, his expression horribly downcast. He couldn't say much else since he already knew the answer to his own question...

Moments later, Alfendi spoke up in surprise and wonder "By the prime minister's beard, these documents depict a legendary artefact!" His eyes lowered down towards the dying archeologist "But what does this have to do with me and Lucy? I understand why my father would be called, being an archeologist, but..." He trailed off.

The very old man chuckled in amusement. Clearly Alfendi wouldn't get this at all so he decided to give the poor young man a hint at best yet his voice had mellowed into a raspy whisper now to show his gradually slipping consciousness.

"Together..." He gasped weakly, pointing a finger back and forth from Alfendi to Hershel "...I want you two to solve this puzzle together."

The professor gasped in shock. His mentor wanted father and son to work together to solve a case, correct? Why would he care? Why would he make such a bizarre dying request!? The two men stared at one another for a moment or two before looking back at the dying old man whom lowered his hand down to his chest.

Dr Schrader sighed in contentment, his eyes finally beginning to close forever "...The letter should tell you..." He gasped "...Everything you desire to know right along with that..." Another wet gasp "...folder you now hold."

Professor Layton bowed his head respectfully, closing his eyes in remorse. He couldn't believe that this was happening. His mentor was now beginning to expire for good and he couldn't do a thing about it. It was a gravely depressing feeling to be helpless and powerless to do anything to prevent the impossible.

He gently patted the top of Schrader's hand with a forced smile "Alright. I'll see what I can do to make that wish become realised, Dr. Schrader! I won't let you down."

But his face grew wide with panic when he noticed that now his mentor had closed his eyes and was no longer responsive. Professor Layton looked down at Dr. Schrader's sleeping face filled with inner peace and found himself desperately trying to reawaken his old mentor by shaking him lightly yet desperately.

"...Dr. Schrader? DR. SCHRADER!?"

Professor Layton never raised his voice like this. This wasn't supposed to happen like this, it was devastating to the point where he hung his head low while removing his top hat and holding it to his chest in a way lost of people wearing hats would cup the rim over their chests to say a wordless "rest in peace" to the recently deceased.

It was official: Dr. Andrew Schrader was dead...

But what about his request, can that ever become a reality?

* * *

**A/N: Another sad chapter but things will get better from here, I swear it. Why would Dr. Schrader want such a request to be fulfilled by the Layton's? It doesn't make sense does it?**

**Poor Dr. Schrader... It seems that old age had got to him but now we see what our heroes thinks of this. Whose your fav character so far in this story anyway? I would really like to hear the answers in reviews but you don't have to answer it if you don't want to.**

**I'm proud of this so far, you know. **

**Let's see what happens next time and why did Dr. Schrader want Hershel and Al to work on this one together?**

**-Chloemcg**


	7. Decisions

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else!**

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter.**

* * *

Alfendi, Professor Layton and Lucy shared a grim silence as their eyes simply glared at the recently deceased Dr. Schrader laying in bed.

Nobody knew what to do now but ponder on the old man's dying wish. Alfendi and Professor Layton -a father and son with two separate careers and personalities- were to combine their efforts while on the search for an ancient relic. Neither of the Layton's understood this predicament since they found each other's company to be incredibly stiff and somewhat awkward for the both of them.

Professor Layton continued to stand over the motionless, lifeless figure belonging to his old mentor with his top hat placed against his chest and he closed his eyes to begin his grieving process. He was hurting on the inside after witnessing his teacher die right before his eyes like that, why did this have to happen? It would tear him apart every time a loved one of his perished, but it happened so frequently that he lost count of how many deaths he had experienced.

He even died himself once but then was magically revived. However he didn't wish to care for each trivial little detail that was brought flooding back like a tidal wave inside the tactical abyss that was his puzzling noggin.

Not a single word had been uttered between them until the professor straightened his posture and released the late Dr. Schrader's freezing cold hand and stared down at the still doctor of archaeology with a hint of determination in his black, curious eyes.

He peaked over his shoulder to look at Lucy and Alfendi, a fire of utter persistence ignited in both his eyes and his heart. They both wore looks of both sadness and confusion, not really able to do much thinking after witnessing such a heart string-tugging scene like that but luckily they had someone kick start them into high gear.

Eventually they left in silence but also alerted the proper authorities of the poor late doctor's demise and began to walk through an empty alleyway which reflected the somber mood they were left in. The slow howls of the wind whistled passed their ears and blew at their coats so they would be pushed forward by mother nature. The dank, grey outdoors had sucked all the joy they felt in the world dry and replaced it with more depression as they walked without speaking a word to each other.

Lucy gave a momentary sad look before deciding to brighten up for the good of her teammates "...What do we do now?"

Alfendi and his father both lifted their heads whilst giving incredibly lost looks of confusion on their faces. Why did Lucy seemed so perky all of a sudden and moments following the death of a family friend!? Neither inspector nor top hat-wearing archaeologist could comprehend this happy-go-lucky mood swing of hers, it was like this whole death never happened and boy was it sort of inappropriate!

"Lucy Baker," Alfendi used a stern tone of voice to match that of a parent telling off their child who had done something bad "might I ask what is making you so giggly-bubbly right about now?"

He didn't get an immediate answer from his assistant. This was confusing enough without this uncalled for change of the mood to pile up on top of these negative emotions both himself and professor Layton shared. The two Layton's both stared at the young 22 year old young lady with the Yorkshire accent as if she had just told them that she was going to jump off a steep cliff, carrying a few sticks of lit dynamite and then risen back up on the back of a fluffy unicorn that left a rainbow trial behind: thus making it awkward for everyone.

Lucy bounced on her own two feet as she walked yet she had a sad look in her eyes, her smile fading "...I'm sorry. I just thought th-that Dr. Schrader wouldn't want us to be sad and being all mopey over wee little him." She sighed heavily as her eyes became downcast and began to secretly water with sudden tears. She closed her eyes shamefully, hanging her head to hide her face from the two. She was having a tough time keeping her spirits up now, it seemed.

They continued to walk alone, their footsteps mingling with their slowed heartbeats and they could hear the light "splashes" their feet made when ever they had come into contact with the condensed clear liquid beneath them.

However Alfendi just stared at her softly. He could completely understand why Lucy would want to lighten up this depressing mood, nobody could blame the poor dear. She was just wanting to wring out the depressing air that hung over them like a soaking wet towel hanging in the winter cold. However she probably never dealt with this type of situation before so didn't exactly know how to react to this sort of sadness.

Nor how to make things better.

The two officers of Scotland Yard just sighed heavy, depressed sighs that were flooded with discord and uncertainty. Lucy asked suddenly, sparing a forced smile to Alfendi whom looked hopelessly lost and had an expression filled with desperation as if he was actually...afraid of something "So, prof, what do you think about our assigned task?"

Alfendi looked up, confused. He couldn't process this situation so well to be frank, it was all a bit hard to absorb. The inspector didn't really want to travel with his father either, knowing full well that he would have to confront the past he tried so hard to run from. However if he did go, it would probably mean no gagging and binding each night for awhile but still...he didn't know much about puzzles despite being the son of Professor Hershel Layton. He was more into cracking into crimes than into mysteries.

"Hmm?" He eyed her curiously, his mouth turning into a slight frown. He sort of knew what Lucy was talking about but he needed to be sure.

Lucy decided to clarify and amend her question "Are you even a niggle excited about going on this trip, Prof?"

Alfendi was now beyond puzzled. Did he even have a say in this matter!? He opened his mouth to object but then he received a stare he never could refuse even in his right mind. Lucy jumped right in front of him, walking backwards as she stared at him with the cutest little smiles and she had a sweet glimmer within her child-like eyes. They just shined like diamonds when she gave that face!

"...Please, prof," she leaned forwards and whispered in her superior's ear "if nowt for me, do it for ya pa."

Alfendi focused on those words. True, he had serious doubts about being helpful here and he was requested by Dr. Schrader to help his father during a mystery. But could he really turn a blind eye against a family friend? That man was kind to him when he was but a child at play so of course he was willing to do anything to ensure some closure and to fulfill the archaeologist's wish and finish where he left off. Besides, maybe this would be his chance of redemption and he would no longer be treated like a savage animal.

A small flicker of a flame began to burn bright inside his yellow eyes as he sighed in defeat, hanging his head with a smallest of grins "Ooh alright, Lucy, I'll do what I can."

Lucy tossed her arms around the inspector's neck, nuzzling him softly. Alfendi hesitated but returned the affectionate snuggle as he enveloped his arms around his assistant.

Professor Layton didn't say a word but he observed the scene with pride. Even though Al looked really scruffy and ungentlemanly, there were some redeeming qualities that more than pleased him. The professor sighed happily but he was still worried about how this would affect his dear boy but he was also still a bit saddened by the sudden passing of Dr. Schrader...

Speaking out and breaking up the hug between young adults, Professor Layton announced readily "Alright then, I suggest we go get some items that we should need and read into where Dr. Schrader left off since whatever he was doing; he had left the rest of it to us." He gave them a stern look "Meet me back at my office in Greensheller university."

Reluctantly, Alfendi nodded his head in agreement. He didn't think highly of his father and had mixed emotions towards the man whom had raised him from infancy but not even he could deny that the top hat-wearing gent had a valid point as always and made for a strong leader for the newly-formed group.

Lucy gave an army's salute, narrowing her eyes with an eager grin "Aye, Professor!"

And with that the three went their separate ways, eager to grab their items so they could prepare for their adventure. However the professor couldn't help but wonder as he dipped his top hat low under his eyes, what was Dr. Schrader researching exactly?

It seemed that Al still held the documents briefing them on the case at hand so he needed to wait for Alfendi and Lucy to return to find out.

As the older archeologist gazed at his surroundings, he no longer felt saddened even with the gloomy looking alleyway he stood in. Instead there was a pristine air of calmness he couldn't help but admire.

With a satisfied nod of his own head, Professor Layton hobbled back down the way he came with post haste as to go pack his own items and get ready for the trip that they would possibly have.

There were puzzles to solve, crimes to read into and mysteries to uncover.

This marked the beginning of Professor Layton's biggest adventure ever and the very first one with his son, Alfendi...

* * *

**A/N: Now the adventure officially begins. Look, I think Dr. Schrader would entrust the rest of his work to his old student so what better way to help him than assist a struggling father get even closer to his son? **

**I hope that you all like this since the real adventure begins now...**

**-Chloemcg**


	8. Inspector Alfendi's deductions

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else!**

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter.**

* * *

Alfendi, Professor Layton and Lucy now stood around a table in the professor's office, beneath the dim lighting of a lamp that hung overhead and cast some shadows around the darkened room of the office in Greensheller university.

It took awhile to get a compromise to enable Alfendi to leave his house arrest for awhile. He needed to have one of the fellow police inspectors tag along to give Alfendi his "evening medication" (AKA; Abuse) and keep a very sharp eye on the young man and make sure to knock him down a peg whenever he goes "Potty prof" on the situation. As a matter of fact, the assigned inspector just lurked nearby whilst melding with the shadows.

Lucy was still oblivious to what was happening to her superior, thankfully, so as long as Alfendi got a good grip on himself he should be fine.

The team of three stared down at the documents, letter and the files that revealed all the information regarding this expedition.

Nobody knew what to expect here truthfully, they couldn't predict the future...

The professor smiled curtly as he nodded his head to Alfendi, somewhat beaming with pride "Alright, Alfendi. If you would do the honors..."

Alfendi nodded. He was more than ready to jump to it and complete this even though he didn't have much of a clue about solving puzzles. Those were as foreign to him as a different language even though he could speak a bit of French and he had learned to automatically mull over the strange Yorkshire lingo that his assistant babbled from time to time.

The inspector gave a ready tug of one of his coat collars and he expertly dished out the document, files and that letter from Dr. Schrader on the table much like an expert poker player would with his cards. He gave an expert whip of his mop of hair and spoke with an expert, somewhat suave voice as he eyed both the Professor and Lucy with a knife-like glint of excitement in his pure amber eyes.

"Now then..." He began steadily, thinking this as an opening statement for a crime scene "just before he passed on, one archeologist Andrew Schrader gave us but one mission: to search for exhibit A, also known as the "Guardian's sceptre" which is rumoured and believed to be nothing more than a fictional myth that could be used to shatter the strongest of mountains in the wrong hands."

He flicked open the file with a swift click of the finger "It is also rumoured to be moulded by the greek gods from olympus in the era of 4th century AD, the time where Romans roamed the earth and Greek gods were believed to be fact."

Lucy smiled knowingly as she added "Aye! Summat that apparently powerful would nowt fall into the 'ands of someone bad, wouldn't it?"

Al nodded his head with a calm smile, tapping his own nose in confirmation "Indeed, Lucy, someone would try and take it into their hands but these myths about this sceptre are only supposed to be no more than folklore and legend."

Professor Layton watched this, intrigued. He never imagined Alfendi to lay down the basics in such a refined and sophisticated manner! It seemed that explaining the details in this way was used many times in the past cases he had done that didn't burn any brighter nor became anymore apparent than here. He folded his arms across his chest and smiled.

He didn't dare interrupt but he continued to observe this interesting delve into Alfendi's mental state of mind. Those eccentric yet intelligent eyes of that young man's burned passionately as he removed a small illustration from a small pocket hidden in the folder on the table and held it up to the lamp so himself, the professor and Lucy could see what this relic was supposed to look like.

"Yes. I suppose that you should take over from here, _papa_." Alfendi finished it was a somewhat venomous spit in his voice although he was trying not to lose that cool pleasant chill he had kept on and since he had little to no knowledge on the mythical matters despite being the professor's son.

Politely, professor Layton tipped his top hat and took over with a slight smile "Why thank you for that, Alfendi; I shall carry on from here..." He cleared his throat uncomfortably "The Guardians sceptre is an artefact of great power and strength -according to myth- that can indeed shatter mountains, separate lands and such." He pointed a wise finger up in the air randomly brushing his finger along the nothingness "Yet no one has been able to locate it as of yet so that's our objective."

Lucy could sort of grasp the situation. Even though both the prof and the professor spoke with such big words that complemented each other it became sort of crystal clear of what their goal in this adventure was. She blinked to absorb this knowledge and summed it up inside her head as she also summed it up simply.

"So basically...we're 'possed to go and find this sceptre?" She asked somewhat dryly.

Both the professor and Alfendi turned to face each other for a moment, looks of surprise on their faces, before they slowly turned back to stare at the young woman and they both nodded in unison. They should have guessed that the lass would have come up with such an obvious answer so they both could do no more than merely nod at each other before looking back at Lucy's more simpler deduction.

Alfendi spoke, a rather sheepish tone behind his placid voice "Err, yes. That would be the easier way of summing it up..." He then gave a flat look, his face long and miserable.

He bent down and picked up the letter, his eyes pointing to it "This letter contains a map leading us towards the locations of where the sceptre should be..."

It was then that the professor smirked and readily wrung at the cuffs of his sleeves. He was now eager and ready to solve any puzzle that dared oppose him. He then tapped the rim of his dark brown top hat as he began to walk out the door to pack some items "Well then, I suppose I should get ready to leave then."

It was true. Professor Layton neglected to pack his own trunk but it wasn't like he had time to himself since Alfendi and Lucy sort of arrived shortly before he did back at his home and it was sort of embarrassing for the famous puzzle Professor. Yet he still had that annoying limp that would completely steal his mobility at random and it would snag him like a nervous tic would when you subconsciously lie or something.

That tic arrived right on time as a limp grabbed hold of his leg and he was forced to grab on to the right side of the doorframe whilst letting out an aggravated groan. "Uggh...not now." He mumbled to himself before Lucy came up from behind and asked him with a hand on the older gentleman's shoulder in a tender caring way.

"Now now, professor Layton, the twitchies ain't nice for even me ol' mammy. I'll 'elp you pack," She spoke softly, tipping her red-orange cap with a cute little wink of the right eye "after all it is nowt but my job as the prof's assistant!"

The young woman took professor Layton by the hand, surprising him, and dragged him down the hallway so they could pack with the gentleman stuttering in a way that suggested that he was trying to object.

However both Al and that guard were now alone in the main room as they stood around in an air that held an air of impending doom. As soon as the professor and Lucy had gone, a wise Alfendi stood by the full desk while he rocked on the balls of his heels in deep thought as he whistled a merry little tune that contradicted the intimidating air that lingered.

Alfendi suddenly stopped whistling when that guy hiding in the shadows, melting in well in the darkest corners of this room, and he glared over his shoulder and didn't bother turning his head as he frowned knowingly.

"..." The inspector paused for a moment before closing his eyes and speaking "...There is no need for you to come with us, I would keep that pathetic side of me contained by myself."

He spoke with an empty voice yet there was this ring of unbounded determination that sprung forth from deep within those words. His back was turned against the man who was shrouded with this threatening air that intimidated him so.

However the guard meant to accompany the trio smirked whilst hiding in the shadows.

"Ahhh. Inspector Alfendi Layton, I should think you'd be more aware of the conditions of your "treatment" before you to turn me away." The man spoke in a sly voice.

Alfendi squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his hands tight. He knew what the conditions were and he couldn't allow that to happen should he refuse his "treatments" but he just couldn't allow this to happen, not even in his form of "potty prof" and never ever in his right state of mind. He shook his head silently.

"Don't you dare...Don't you even think about it." Alfendi's voice was low and dangerous as his mop of wavy purple hair turned wild and into a scarlet tone as those locks dangled over his usually twisted eyes menacingly.

The man stepped out from the shadows yet his identity was unknown. Who was he? Alfendi Layton knew all too well what the answer was.

The guard smirked wickedly "Then you shall button your lip about this otherwise that girl will get hurt."

Alfendi gasped. Anything but her, she couldn't get wrapped up in all this...! He didn't dare look into those suave eyes of the so-called inspector since all he could muster was the lowest forms of growls imaginable as he narrowed his eyes in a way meant to intimidate him. He kept his head low with his neck arched slightly downwards, his hair shielding his expression.

"...Fine then." Alfendi said after a moments pause, his hair colour reverting back to normal and he groaned whilst putting a hand sorely to his head as he panted heavily in exhaustion. He hated transforming into that pathetic side of himself, it was just a petty reflection that he wasn't proud of and it was tiring and it made his head hurt.

He hated having to concede with this man but had no other choice. The inspector sighed tiredly, his face buried in a sweaty palm as he sat down with his thoughts acting as company. What could he do, he could not tell his father otherwise the one person he cared about other than her would get hurt...or worse.

He was somewhat oblivious to the fact that the inspector once more took to the shadows, his identity concealed for now.

Who was this man who hurt him so much?

* * *

**A/N: Awww, poor Al is being blackmailed! Who is it being threatened? I think you all know who it is...**

**I thought of adding one of those overviews of cases that Alfendi seems to do with Lucy at the beginning of each case in a investigation-deduction kind of way. It seems that Al and Lucy being in this adventure may be a good thing indeed...**

**I think you maybe surprised of who this inspector is.**

**Don't forget to review and tell me how I'm doing here, please.**

**The adventure shall begin shortly.**

**-Chloemcg**


	9. Train ride troubles

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else!**

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter.**

* * *

Alfendi, Lucy and the professor all passed through the gate of the train station with ease. Not too long ago they had left to go on their perilous journey to find the legendary Guardians Scepter, a prized artefact that was advanced beyond all belief.

Nobody knew just how to react to this particular situation so simply walked, except for Lucy who had been bouncing along with the biggest smile on her face as she continuously twittered on and on about how thrilling this was going to be "Crickey I can't believe it! T'is like a dream made real, ain't it?"

Both Al and professor Layton shrugged their arms at Lucy's unrivalled excitement.

They didn't exactly know how to react to this but there was certainly a hint of nostalgia for a certain top hat-wearing gentleman whom closed his eyes to reminisce on the good old days all those years ago that led him around the world and back. Professor Layton was certainly excited but in a more contained way as he pressed a thoughtful hand to his chin and wore a small smile on his lips. He opened his eyes at the sound of footsteps coming from behind them and peaked over his shoulder to find the guard who had insisted on coming with them.

...This "inspector" was a very shady character and the professor couldn't explain it. There was something he didn't like about that man but he couldn't, for the life of him, place a finger on it. Something familiar stuck out about this odd man who insisted on stalking them.

He was going to have to keep a sharp eye on him.

Alfendi planted a sweaty palm against his forehead to suppress an oncoming headache. His head had been throbbing ever since that last "Potty prof" transformation and he kept his word about trying to keep that monster contained within him. He couldn't allow those bruises to start coming so he could be found out, that would be the worst thing.

He groaned lowly and the professor turned his head to face him with a look of concern on his face towards his son. Putting a hand on his son's shoulder, the professor asked "Alfendi, what's the matter?"

It didn't really come as a surprise when the young man flinched away the second his father touched him. Alfendi was sore, confused and struggling with his emotions so he just wouldn't accept help from anyone unless it was absolutely needed. He could deal with this by himself, this was his fight after all.

Professor Layton wore a hurt expression. He didn't wish for his son to keep rejecting him but it was going to take awhile for the two Layton's to get comfortable talking to each other. The professor sighed while dipping his dark top hat over his eyes in shame since his heart cracked at the feeling of loneliness, a shadow of shame creeping into his mind. Maybe it would take a while for Al to trust him but he would wait forever if it meant that the inspector would speak to him again on friendly terms.

He kept his hands away and fumbled with his fingers instead.

Al waved his free hand dismissively "A-Ah, its nothing..." was his reply as he shifted his position a bit, straightening his back and walking feverishly unlike moments ago when he was slouched and stumbling a little bit like a newborn calf. He was a bit off as he held his wobbly head in his hand, his fingernails digging through the lengthy tufts of purple locks and tunnelling to his scalp.

The young inspector seethed silently to rid himself of the headache he was having. He could even feel the guard's gaze sharpen as he kept an eye on him from a little ways behind, it was as if he was anticipating the form of "Potty prof" to take hold even for a second so he could pounce.

Luckily for him Lucy noticed that her superior's actions were wobbly and delayed and laced an arm around him, holding him up, as she helped him into the train cart so she could sit him down somewhere until his headache passed. The professor worriedly followed close behind as he limped into the train cart as well in a hurried effort like he was anxious for his son.

The lurking inspector growled in frustration. He wanted to pin that guy down! He wanted to remind him of the deal they struck earlier, he couldn't have Alfendi running his mouth.

It took awhile of weaving through the bustling crowds and stuff but the trio managed to eventually board the train safely. They did have some more problems, however, since it appeared that Alfendi was train-sick and actually threw up the moment the train had started tumbling down the tracks with the locomotive steaming and puffing as it raced down the railroad tracks among ever-green pastures.

Poor Alfendi had his face buried in his quaking knees, his face constantly flashing from fern green to dark jungle green. It was a lot like his hair changing colour when he transformed from Placid to Potty in the blink of an eye except it was from the face.

Both Lucy and the professor were worried for the man's well being now.

Ever since they had left the office, he had been fighting off headaches and he also seemed tired and a bit irritable yet there was a hint of worry behind his refined voice. Neither of them wished to question it because the poor guy would probably benefit better from it even though that this unlikely personality was very unbecoming and very uncharacteristic of him.

So, trying to pass the time, the professor began to give the two of them puzzles and riddles to solve whilst the train they sat in sped down the tracks.

Alfendi had his head leaning heavily against the window as he gazed out longingly at the green pastures and sunshine the outdoors beheld. His amber eyes were alit with this thirst for knowledge that could never be quenched and he scanned every little detail of the outdoor fields they passed as he blocked both his father and Lucy's voices out.

As he was lost in deep thought all they sounded like to him was mutters and inaudible jabbering. He couldn't really care less that he was ignoring them, he wasn't really a gentleman unlike his prestigious father.

However, the more Alfendi ignored them the more irritable he became. Something boiled down deep inside him steadily like tea inside a boiling kettle that was steaming from the spout and whistling loudly in eagerness. He couldn't explain it but it was like a certain part of him was caged deep in his soul and bursting to break free from his inner binds of defiance.

"...Alfendi, are you alright?" The professor's voice asked, snapping Alfendi from his trail of deep thought as he finally blurred back into the realm of reality.

Al blinked. Was his father talking to him? He hadn't really noticed since he was feeling still a bit nauseous from the train sickness. He placed a hand to steady his spinning vision and spoke in a quiet tone of voice "Indeed I am, fath-" a hand flew to his mouth as his cheeks inflated like balloons and a sudden gag caught his throat.

His face turned ever greener once more and he didn't have time to speak another word since he had dived for the floor for some reason and the sounds of retching could be heard throughout the train cart they sat in.

Lucy went over to the inspector's side and rubbed soothing circles on his back in order to soothe his ailments a bit, kneeling on the floor beside him as the young scruffy man wearing the white coat heaved some more. She raised a stern brow at him whilst she stroked his back tenderly.

"Ee, Prof," she spoke "ya should really stop doing this every time you get on trains. 'tis gross" The young detective constable sighed heavily in aggravation as she steadily pulled the poor man back on to the seat, carefully holding some of his flowing strands of purple hair back.

The professor nodded in agreement, dipping his top hat a bit to disguise his frown "Indeed Alfendi, maybe you should bring some bags next time?"

Alfendi shot his father a glare as he panted like he had been running a ten mile marathon, his breaths laced with exhaustion and acrid sighs accompanying them, he couldn't handle this right now. He simply nodded in agreement since he should have thought ahead instead of being so foolish.

It wasn't his fault he had trouble with trains.

His tongue hung out one side of his mouth as he kept his head down. He wanted to hold in both more sick and the beast inside. However he had noticed that this route looked kind of familiar to him and where they were supposed to be going wasn't the least bit familiar to him since it was a foreign country.

He asked with a dragged moan "Uuugh...where are we going?"

Professor Layton smiled knowingly. It seemed that Alfendi, midst his relentless sweating and projectile vomiting, had actually noticed that this direction was familiar to him and realised that where they were going first wasn't intended to be the first place to ask about the Guardians Scepter.

He praised "Good observation, my son," he chuckled a bit at Alfendi's peeved expression "I have thought of going to a certain someone's house before we begin our journey but I shall not be telling you who it is or where we are going."

It was Alfendi's turn to smile knowingly. It seemed that his father wasn't just going to give them the answer all willy-nilly, they were going to have to guess in the best way his father knew how:

A puzzle of course.

The professor folded his arms with a sly smirk plastered on his lips. He really was going to give his son a puzzle on where to go and hopefully this should break the ice between them. He raised a brow at them as if expecting an answer from his two new companions about the challenge.

Alfendi turned his face to look at a lost Lucy. Even though he had been basically raised off of puzzles, Lucy was not and that would mean that he would have to guide her through this just like they did with their own cases back at the Mystery room. Reading her expression like a book; Alfendi held Lucy close to her in an arm lock yet he was careful not to hurt her as he glared at his challenger, his hair finally yet slowly turning that shade of crimson and his eyes grew a bit twisted.

However there was no venom in his yellow-golden eyes, instead there was this look of challenge in his eyes like he was actually very knowledgable of this.

"Lucy. It would seem that the good ol' professor here is offering us a challenge or a puzzle, in other words." He whispered in a low voice.

Lucy tilted her head to one side in utter confusion. A puzzle? What kind of puzzle? She couldn't help but question it as she expressed a clouded confusion in her round pretty eyes and she blinked in utter bewilderment of the competitive air hanging over them.

Err...Like a jig-saw puzzle, or summat?" She asked.

Alfendi sighed and shook his head. Should have expected that answer, shouldn't he? He frowned bluntly "No. I mean a puzzle meant to tease your mind, my dear." His voice was somewhat growly and it sounded like that "Potty prof" was kicking in now yet he didn't seem to have that same malicious intent like all the other times he went psycho.

His mop of hair became disheveled and hung limply over his twisted eyes, signalling that he really was becoming "Potty prof" like that inspector stalking them wanted him to. Al pointed to his father with a semi-joyful smirk.

"You see my papa lives for the brain-numbing brilliance of puzzles" He explained with a slight haste yet there was a bubbling excitement behind his words "he always has a puzzle or two up his sleeve and knows the answers most of the time," He chuckled twistedly "Oh this should be most fun!"

Lucy seemed to grasp the concept and she smiled. She never saw Alfendi, not even in his psychotic state of "Potty prof" have this much fun. He appeared to be quite fond of puzzles even though he usually threatened to silence people by slicing off their tongue or push them off buildings in this form. It was a nice change.

She agreed "Aye, aye it should."

Alfendi stopped whispering to her and looked his father dead in the eye, grinning like a mad man as he did, and he smirked "Alright then, papa, give it your best shot."

Lucy gave the same look as she grinned in determination, clenching her fists readily, and she added with a sharp look in her eyes "We are ready!"

The professor grinned with this equal satisfaction. Even though he found this transformation strange as it was the first time seeing it, he found it rather strange. Indeed there was a hint of characteristic violence in him that would be more than capable of damage, he couldn't see him actually harming people since right now he just had the hyperactivity of a young boy.

It was sort of cute.

Now professor Layton was getting through to his son a little bit as he smirked confidently and told the puzzle of where they were going and who they were visiting:

"He hides in the mists of a peaceful village, he is always reliable and dependable. If you need help with fur and feathers than he should be there to lend a voice. He is the shadow of a certain enemy and the kindest, clever of souls. This person also lives in the shadow of the mayor of this town."

The professor closed his eyes and opened them with a blazing fire of determination burning bright within and he asked "...Who is it?"

* * *

**A/N: That's the end of this chapter. Now we have a puzzle to solve and there are only three solutions to this but the answer should be quite obvious.**

**A: Luke**

**B: Emmy**

**Or C: Raymond.**

**Now, what shall happen to professor and Alfendi? They seem to be getting on better but let's see how long that lasts them. Potty prof also seems to love puzzles when the topic is brought up!**

**Please review.**

**-Chloemcg**


	10. Lingering memories

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else!**

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter.**

* * *

Alfendi didn't need to take long to answer the riddle.

This person lives in the mist, is apparently good with animals and lives in the constant shadow of the Mayor. There is only one person whom this could be after hearing those clues since this person is who he referred to as "uncle".

The man with the wild mop of crimson hair smirked when he answered it "This is child's play! Uncle Luke is obviously who we're visiting."

Lucy was confused and perplexed now. She had heard of Luke before, he was Professor Layton's apprentice back in the glory days before he found Al and brought him into his life. Yet she was very confused as to why they were visiting him exactly and how on earth this riddle made any sense about who he was.

She looked at Alfendi for help and he answered without looking at her.

"...Think about it; Uncle Luke lives in a village named Misthallery, he is a proper expert with animals and can even verbally communicate with them, he is indeed loyal and reliable, and he was the mayor's son. That matches up to him with a T, I would say." The man deduced with a simple smirk but he was very unaware that someone was about to pounce...and it wasn't him in his "Potty" persona.

He gave a smug cackle filled with confidence, unsettling a lot of the other passengers as they looked to the young man fearfully and noted the fact that he was looking increasingly insane as the moments ticked by. They sort of ducked their heads low and watched as the guard from before came up from behind an unsuspecting Al and whacked him on the head hard.

Within moments of receiving that hard smack, Alfendi went silent and fell unconscious. His hair returned to normal at least but his head was hung low as the inspector grabbed him by the collar, dragging him roughly off the chair and out of the train cart with a sinister grin.

As he watched his son be dragged off, the professor was shocked. Why did that man render his son unconscious!? Why on earth were the crowd afraid of him!? He didn't seem vicious but he was just a bit overexcited. He gave a cold scowl towards the inspector dragging poor Alfendi along the cold floor beneath his feet with a secret, almost demonic grin shaping his lips.

The gentleman was going to do some searching on this character.

Lucy seemed equally surprised by that. She didn't know what to think about it, in all honesty. All she could really do was sit up, her stomach and chest leaning heavily against the back rest of the seat as she grabbed on to the top of the seat with her nails digging into the fuzzy material. Her eyes were bulging from her eye sockets as she stared at the door for minutes even after Alfendi had long since disappeared from sight.

"Bloomin' heck, why were the prof knocked out like that!?" Lucy asked after awhile, surprised.

The professor put a thoughtful hand to his chin, scratching it to think of an answer but all he could think of was a reason and theory. He dipped his top hat over his eyes as if ashamed and simply replied "I am afraid that all I can say is that I don't know, Ms. Baker."

Neither the inspector's assistant nor the professor of archeology spoke another word as the only sound disturbing their silence was the gossiping of other passengers and the rather faint rumbling of the train's wheels carrying the locomotive down the tracks in this peaceful land.

They both stared out into the distance and took their surroundings in. The train seemed to have been going by a field filled with precious greenery, sheep and even wild flowers. The sight was breathtaking and it was enough to make the professor think of a puzzle that was filled with flowers which he had completed time and time again with a certain young apprentice of his. He had to wonder how Luke was fairing, it had been years since he last saw him.

After a moment or two of admiring the scene outside, the professor asked suddenly as he turned his head to look back at the young lady wearing the cap "Lucy, you wouldn't happen to know the name of that other inspector would you?"

Lucy lifted her head and nodded her head once. She had been working in Scotland Yard for over a few months now so of course she knew everyone like the back of her hand. She replied with a heavy sigh, shaking her head left and right before lifting her gaze to meet the gentleman wearing the dark top hat. The girl had her fair share of friends and the rare foes, after all.

"Aye, I know that slippery devil..." Lucy looked away distastefully with a spit behind her voice "...'es a surly lad who goes by the name of "Inspector Rafael Bloom", the guy's on our tails twenty-four-seven."

The professor wasn't too surprised to hear that. Someone as creepy and stalker-ish as that would undoubtedly be a thorn in ones side and make someone like Lucy get suspicious of this foreshadowing behaviour. However the surname "Bloom" sounded troublingly familiar since he knew he heard that name in the police force once or twice in his life...but where did he hear it?

Lucy noticed the professor's sudden deep thought as she muttered more to herself than anyone else "...Ee, the fellow does seem ta have some bones ta pick with the prof."

The professor was now even more confused. From the sound of things, poor Al had made quite the enemy somehow. However why this person would take up a job involving keeping an eye on Alfendi's mood, he hadn't the foggiest notion. The only thing his son had done that would build an enemy would have to be what had happened four months ago. He knew that Alfendi didn't kill anyone that night, his hot-headed actions just got the best of him and the crimes that someone else committed had blended into that one coincidently. He still couldn't believe he almost lost his dear son by the skin of his teeth after being shot so fatally...

Then the professor's mind went back to Luke Triton.

His apprentice was still a young boy when they last met. Professor Layton had to come to Luke's new home and they solved a case together that was more...behind the scenes. Actually the letter requesting his presence was delivered a day after he had initially found little Alfendi and brought him home and what an adventure that was! Now, though, Luke was grown up presumably and the professor had been informed that the young man had moved back to Misthallery not too long ago.

Al visited a lot to catch up on old times and professor Layton still had yet to see the boy. He was nervous to say the least but he wasn't going to allow himself to make a scene or such, that would be the worst thing he could do as a gentleman.

According to some calculations, Luke would have to be around 30 or 40 years of age now.

He had also apparently gotten himself a girlfriend, a certain girl whom had stolen his heart when he was little and met on the very first adventure both the professor and Luke shared. Arianna was her name and she was actually a strong young woman.

They even had children of their own, apparently.

How was Luke doing?

* * *

Soon they arrived at their destination.

It took a few hours of riding the train and when Alfendi arrived back, back to his Placid state, everyone shared an awkward silence. Poor Alfendi was holding one of his arms as if it was sore from some kind of injury. Indeed it was a bit suspicious but nobody dared question it because they knew that the inspector would most likely lie anyway and this would make them seemingly suspicious of the young man.

It was the moment they stopped at the Misthallery train station when a shifty Al decided to swiftly make a dash out of the train cart even though his face was once again green from the most likely case of train sickness he had again. But there was something odd about Alfendi's behaviour that bothered both the gentleman and the detective constable.

Al, Hershel and Lucy unboarded the train with inspector Bloom in tow as they decided to travel around this strange town. It seemed peaceful enough since there was greenery everywhere and the people in the village were welcoming enough.

The group intended of solving each and every puzzle here but they also wanted to see what a certain young man had for them and were more than anxious about seeing what had become of the professor's former apprentice. He had apparently been anticipating their arrival since puzzles were stacked everywhere for them.

They ventured each and every inch of the quaint little village (completing puzzles the townsfolk had set up for them) in their search for the Triton mansion, as they tried to search for the adult Luke and his lover: Arianna.

They had been married for years and both of the childhood friends had started a family. The professor had never met Luke's family due to some personal issues but he was excited to meet them all.

They were quite the feisty brood he heard.

It took awhile until the trio had finally reached the mansion.

Nobody recognised the mansion whence they finally reached it. It had been reconstructed with such a refined grace that most would admire. There rooftop was refitted to make it look more like a pretty little tower than anything else, the scaffolding building beneath that tower-like structure was soft and lightly painted with a beautiful creamy colour.

The trio just stared in awe of this building while looking up with faint smiles.

A gentle breeze blew in their ears, whistling a gentle melody in their eardrums. The trees even swayed along with these gentle gusts of wind that brewed around them in a circle constantly and it made the dirt on the path spew up around them. Even both the Layton's coats were picked up along with these breezes of air.

The professor sighed and closed his eyes in reminiscent. He remembered being here crystal clear, it was nice to recall that first adventure he had with his trusty apprentice. This memoir was so gentle on his ageing mind that had the same mechanism as a sharply-crafted puzzle and it left the gentle chimes of a bell ringing inside his mind as he recalled this with a picture more clear than a settled puddle that been rippling because of the most delicate of dew drops.

He opened his eyes, tweaking his top hat in determination. He was ready to see Luke after all this time for the first time in years! He turned his head to one side to look at Alfendi with a small smile that formed the brightest of smirks on his lips.

"Are you prepared to see Luke, Alfendi? Lucy?"

He asked the pair whom both nodded in reply but he noticed that Alfendi was a bit delayed in his response as there was a unsettled look in his energetic eyes. The 29 year old man didn't even crack a smile since he appeared to have been unsettled and there was a lost look in his calm eyes.

Finally, with a vaguely strained voice, Alfendi simply said "I am indeed ready."

* * *

**A/N: That's the end of this chapter. We should see Luke in the next chapter if we are lucky and maybe a bit of Lucy's past should be revealed. **

**Poor Al, he seems troubled. We also get the inspector/guard's identity, why does the last name "Bloom" sound so familiar and do you see a connection between the two names I am trying to hint out? **

**Lets see what Luke is up to in the next chapter...**

**Oh, and for those who answered "Luke" in the last chapter: congratulations you got it right! **

**-Chloemcg**


	11. Caged secrets revealed

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else!**

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter.**

* * *

Alfendi took a deep breath as he proceeded towards the humble front door, a curled up fist held up to knock the door. He hadn't seen his nervous in years, in fact he couldn't recall a single moment in his adolescent life that made him feel so jittery. He pursed his lips together as his eyes stared hardly at the door as if to hide the visible fact that his held up fist was quaking in the air.

Through the door his ears could only vaguely make out the distinctive sounds of children crying out and squealing with joy and such as they pounded through the house on the other side of the door. Such a ruckus made the inspector wince as he recalled the fact that Luke was now a family man of an abundance of little ones.

He didn't really like children, in all honesty, since he had no clue how to act around them.

Alfendi exhaled deeply to relieve his worries before he plucked up the courage and hurriedly rapped on the door, being sure that it would be loud enough to reach through to the people within since seconds later a huge crash had sounded throughout the huge mansion and made the trio jump in alarm.

They hadn't expected such a rumble!

An eerie silence followed that crash and slightly intimidated both Al and Lucy however the professor remained shockingly calm and composed. Clearly he had trained himself to be well adjusted to these kinds of environments but that must have meant that there was something else that frightened him. Of course the trio were all nervous about entering and were a bit worried about what they would find on the other side of the door but they simply grit their teeth and decided to roll with it.

The sound of an adult male's voice cut through the silence as it sounded muffled from the other side of the door. It sounded stern and the words he spoke couldn't really be heard to make out to be considered important. The voice grew closer and closer as if the owner of this household was approaching the door and his footsteps nullified underneath his voice yet it was still a very faint noise to make out as those steps mingled with the man's voice.

Suddenly the door opened inwardly and Alfendi, Lucy and the professor were met with an all too familiar man whom was once a young boy that worked with the professor as his apprentice.

This man had almost the exact same face as Luke did, yet there was a blonde fuzzy goatee growing on his chin. He wore an azure blue cap on his head to shield his blonde boisterous birds nest of hair and it fit on his head perfectly. He also seemed a bit burly around the chest region as he wore an attire mostly involving blue but his shoes were the only things not blue. He even wore blue fingerless gloves on his hands.

The man grinned and his eyes sparkled like those of a child on christmas morning after finding out that Santa came to visit.

"Professor, Alfendi!" Adult Luke exclaimed as he lunged at the two men standing in the doorway. Within an instant, both Alfendi and professor Layton were squished together too close for comfort by the man's poor attempt to give them both some equal amount of love. The two could hardly breathe since their oxygen was being deprived by the large amount of squeezing.

Alfendi managed a pained smirk as he tried not to give away that he was becoming tender from the very fact that his rib cage were being teared apart. He shut one eye as he spoke with a strained voice "N-Nice to see...you too, U-Uncle Luke." He gave a short gasp at the end of that sentence as he began to feel his spine crack under the older man's death grip.

The three stayed in that hug for a long time until Luke finally released them. He smiled softly at the three who had so nicely came to visit him and his family. But his eyes widened upon seeing the young girl detective constable with the two Laytons. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened immensely in disbelief as he focused all his remaining shreds of his attention on the Yorkshire-accented lass accompanying them.

Luke adjusted his cap and squinted his eyes. Was this really her!? A long gasp escaped his throat and his trachea had become constricted.

"...Lucy, is that you?" He asked.

Lucy seemed to have shared this silence. She hadn't expected to see the professor's former apprentice/newly crowned assistant here back in Misthallery! This was all so incomprehensible that her jolly ruby-brown eyes shimmered with oncoming tears and her mouth formed a squiggly grin.

Alfendi's assistant shoved passed Al and the Professor and tackled Luke to the ground in joy, rubbing her cheek against his own plump ones. It actually knocked off the man's cap as it tumbled off of his head and rolled on to the floor like a spinning top until it became motionless and limp as it fell against the rim.

Luke chuckled warmly as he playfully tussled Lucy's red hair with a smirk.

"Cor, Lucy! I didn't think I'd see you for a while yet!"

Lucy hugged the older man tighter in her embrace. She seemed really happy to see Luke for some reason and they also seemed to know each other on a personal level, why was this? Both Alfendi and Professor Layton could not do anything else but stare at this moment with an awkward silence. They had no idea what to do nor say about this as they watched the young woman hug the professor's old apprentice.

Alfendi, feeling a strange anger towards Luke bubble up within, simply cleared his throat and asked with a stern voice behind his words "Lucy, do you know him?" His yellow eyes were dilated as surprise jolted through his entire being when Lucy spoke of why she was so happy to see the man whom she had pinned to the ground moments ago.

He could feel the distinct feeling of pure shock drive him into gasping as she blatantly ignored him and exclaimed to Luke:

"Aye, t'has been awhile! I've nowt expected to see ya again, cousin!"

It was then that shock hastily grabbed both Alfendi and his father's minds into a bone-crushing grip as their minds had been blown after hearing that one sentence. Neither of them could even breathe anymore because they felt like they had the walls closing in on them and squishing them from the inside out.

Luke Triton and Lucy Baker were related!?

...Actually, this would explain a lot.

Without even thinking about anything else, Alfendi felt his eyes roll into the back of his head and he fell backwards. Luckily that inspector Rafael Bloom fellow had rushed forwards and caught his fellow inspector's motionless form. Poor Al seemed to have fainted from the fact that he had just found out that the Triton family and Lucy are in reality related.

It must have been a huge shock to him.

However, Professor Layton didn't dare glare at the inspector but the inspector was definitely smiling smugly up at him as he lowered the unconscious Alfendi to the ground below where he was basically motionless. Al's breathing patterns were shortened as he laid on his back and he shifted his head to one side.

When Alfendi was on the ground Inspector Bloom walked onwards to introduce himself to Luke while the professor took this chance to be by his son's side.

The gentleman archeologist wearing the dark top hat knelt down by his son's side and observed his body with a parent-like worry. His own shadow stretched over the unconscious inspector of Scotland yard, keeping Al's face and chest protected in some shade casted from his body, and he remembered something about Alfendi which he thought helpful.

Sometimes Alfendi would grow fussy and whiny in his sleep if he slept on his back. The professor would usually have to turn his son over to either his side or get him laying on his stomach, odd sleeping habit he must say but it made the man wearing the white coat happy when he was a mere infant so it may still apply to when he's a man in his late twenties.

The professor was about to do this but as he rolled Alfendi on his side the sleeve on his injured arm lifted up a little, revealing a black-blue marking blotching a small area. Suddenly worried, Professor Hershel Layton reached for his sleeve and gently pulled it up. He gave a horrified gasp at what was revealed beneath that ivory sleeve.

Dark bruises extended up Alfendi's arm and would probably reach his shoulder. These were very nasty bruises received to his boy and he was horrified that his son's arm was so battered and decorated in blue-black splotches. It was no wonder that Alfendi was covering up his arm, but the question was where did he acquire these injuries?

The professor was going to have a word with him about this later.

He swept some of his wavy locks out of his closed eyes and decided to ask Luke to assist him carry him into the mansion. He wouldn't dare ask the man wearing the blue cap to help him if he didn't require it necessary but it wasn't like he had enough stamina to carry the mop-haired, scruffy inspector -especially when he was having to limp- and risk putting his back out.

He simply turned his head towards his full-grown apprentice and gave a silent nod with a serious expression on his face, black eyes narrowed. He took the spare moment to adjust the top hat over his eyes to still a serious look on his face and watched as Luke obeyed and approached the two Layton's. He carried the lower half of Al while the professor picked up his son by the shoulders and they slowly manuvered their way into the mansion.

Soon both the professor and Luke had lain Alfendi on the sofa, laying him on his side. He was coming too when he was placed down on the soft material and he was just opening his eyes as he gazed at his surroundings before back to his adopted father.

The young man in question, giving a tired scowl towards his father, simply avoided his concerned gaze and grumbled something which the professor could hardly make out. Alfendi seemed to have been very dismissive towards his father as he lightly slapped his (Professor Layton's) hand off his (Alfendi's) shoulder.

"...Leave me alone, please." He mumbled lowly as he turned onto his stomach "I have no need for your pity."

Those words stung the professor. He was only trying to help his son but whenever he tried to fix a bond with him it seemed that Inspector Layton was very uninterested about fastening a good relationship with his father. The professor hung his head sadly with a heavy sigh, his heart breaking in two. There was not a much stronger agony than this one he felt at this very moment in time.

Tipping his top hat, the professor stood up and wandered towards Luke to have some conversation with him while Arianna, Luke's wife, joined in with their little chat. However they seemed to have ignored the fact that those rambunctious children of Luke's were bouncing all over the place in the foreground and Lucy was glaring rather sympathetically to her superior.

Alfendi sighed. Honestly he wanted to have a talk with his father and try and make amends but there was something getting in the way...or rather _someone_. He felt bad that he was having to shun his father away like this but he just couldn't find it in his heart to forgive him when he felt that everyone was against him.

Especially his father._  
_

However Alfendi was very curious.

Lucy never spoke about her family very much, other than her mother. Apparently Lucy's mother lived in a local care home to her apartment but never had she spoke about her father. Every time she was in a situation that would probably make it a chance for her to speak of him, she would either change the subject or grumble to him that she didn't want it talked about.

Sore, Al rubbed at his arm with a pained groan. He worried that his father may have spotted those bruises and didn't want him nor Lucy to figure out this horrid secret he had to keep. Other than his other persona.

Neither of them could find out...or else.

* * *

**A/N: We see Luke, Arianna and some of their family. We also find out that Lucy is the cousin of Luke. **

**I don't think it would be too surprising if those two were related somehow, she does have Luke's kind of hairstyle after all but I don't think she would be Luke's daughter. Plus the energy and enthusiasm they have are the same, aren't they?**

**I think those two have too much in common and the only reason I would think that would either be that Luke and Lucy are brother and sister or be more distantly related. **

**What happens next?**

**-Chloemcg**


	12. The professor and the apprentice

**Disclaimer: I do not own ANY of the characters of Professor Layton or its spinoff: Layton brothers and the mystery room. Those two games are property of Level five games and nobody else!**

**I do own the plot however.**

**Professor and Alfendi Layton and the guardians scepter.**

* * *

Alfendi put his head into his hand and he let out a surly-sounding groan. This was so strange, he had been struggling with containing his pathetic other side. He couldn't really hold it in much anyway since once in awhile he would have to change constantly throughout each day in order for both his mental state and his health to remain linear. It was sort of the only way to keep his emotions balanced even if he was supposed to be suppressing the Hyde to his Jekyll.

The inspector/detective of Scotland yard shook his head in his palm. He felt so heavy, so full. His mind split much like the throbbing headache he had and more as he gave some long groans that sounded muffled due to his palm cupping his lips and he eventually lifted his head out of his palm and looked tiredly into the eyes of his worried assistant. He could manage nothing more then a small growl that left a slender purr in his throat.

Lucy Baker and Luke Triton..._cousins_!?

This was all so comprehensible, how could it be possible? Well he knew sort of how but still...

He was barely aware that Lucy had left the room to spend time with Luke and Arianna's boisterous brood and that the inspector stalking him had also left the scene. He wearily lifted his head at the sound of incoming footsteps and frowned when his headache increased like the hammer to the cranium those light taps to the floor were a constant thud to his head.

He groggily yawned and found his tired eyes laying on the blurred form of a certain top hat wearing gentleman approaching him. He wiped some strands of his own purple hair away from his eyes and he observed as the professor knelt down in front of him with a certain look on his face that would usually make the man cower beneath that gaze.

Those stern, black little eyes pierced through his own yellow ones. Al's eyes and expression were akin to those of a kicked puppy left out in the rain as he looked straight into those penetrating eyes of his father.

The question his father asked was actually enough to bring an equal anger into his own face.

"Alfendi, where did those bruises come from?" Professor Layton asked with a thick sternness in his voice.

Alfendi narrowed his eyes in a sulk. He didn't want to tell his father of anything, he didn't have a right to poke into this. His reply just came out as a low grumble that was kind of quick to dismiss the subject but the professor wouldn't back down on this.

The professor warned with a lot more firm anger twisting on his face "Alfendi..."

The inspector's head became a pounding, thumping mess. He could feel a splitting headache come on as he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment to try and suppress his other side of him but within seconds it all came bursting out akin to a balloon popping in a full-blown second. His flowing hair turned into a crimson colour and it became more moppy than usual as those locks of hair became untamed and disheveled once again. His heart pounded inside his ears as he darted forwards with his nostrils flaring in heavy pants and he mumbled with a very venomous tone.

"I _fell _down the stairs!" He grabbed his father by the high collar of his coat, narrowing his beastly eyes into snake-like slits "That is all there is to it!"

The professor stared deep into his son's eyes. He could only assume that this was the form named "Potty Prof" that Lucy had so nicely bestowed upon him, and he could understand on some level why people feared him while in this form. However the professor was truly intrigued when he got a look into those electric pools that he admired so much.

There was a look of contrast and shame, as if he really didn't wish to be so mean to his father but there was also the look of a lost soul. It was as if he didn't know who to trust anymore.

The professor suddenly felt all that sternness melt away into nothingness and his eyes softened. With Alfendi giving him such a look he couldn't dare be angry at his little one who was now so grown up and fighting personal demons that rammed his mind, slowly breaking him from the inside out.

Slowly yet surely, Alfendi released his death grip on his father's collar and gave a heavy sigh before he got up while his back became recumbent in the ominous air and threaded his feet along the floor below him. He gave off a really depressing air that hung over them as soon as he left the sitting room of the Triton's.

The professor watched, intrigued, as his son walked out the door and into the kitchen. This was really surprising since the last time he saw his son like that would have to be 4 months ago, he could only stare at the door with a lost look on his face as he sat on the sofa. What happened to his son after those months of wallowing and changing moods? He dipped his top hat over his eyes to think, he always found ones thoughts to come alive in the darkness sometimes even if his mind was very well-balanced and quite witty.

Putting a hand curiously to his chin, professor Layton pondered deeply on the matter.

All his life he had never been stumped by a single puzzle...except the occasional one, but still as far as he was concerned the ways of ones complex mind was the biggest puzzle of all. Alfendi's condition was much like a puzzle without all of the pieces to complete it.

He deduced that if he found all those pieces than that would be the key to mending the broken relationship between him and his son.

His eyes snapped open and he whisked his top hat back out of his eyes at the sound of a somewhat merry voice chiming in his ears.

He noticed that it was only Lucy who wore a bright smile on her face as her ruby red eyes met his. The professor could clearly see that both Luke and her were related but he couldn't help but smile at how bubbly she was.

"So wot are we gonna to do, Professor Layton?" She asked cheerfully, oblivious to the depressing air her mentor had left lingering in the room.

The gentleman sighed with a small smile. Both Lucy and Al shared more than either of them realized. He simply shrugged his shoulders in uncertainty yet there was a wise look present in his facial features and he tugged loosely at the tall collar of his coat cuffing the back of his neck. He made a move to stand up but found that his legs were aching quite a bit and he hissed in pain when he heard a loud "crack" snap from the air yet there was a popping feeling between his knee and leg joints. The source for that wince-worthy sound was indeed from his legs.

He stayed in that position before he was forced back down.

Being older actually sucked hard. It limited how he could move and it was so tough to not be able to climb up places and get hint coins like he used to.

"...I suppose we just wait for Luke to provide everything we need." He sighed heavily in defeat.

Speak of the devil and he shalt appear, Luke walked into the room with Arianna's arm lacing his. The former seemed very stressed while the latter was just beginning to show the signs of pregnancy as her husband helped her.

The man seemed very downhearted about something, for some reason. The professor hadn't seen his apprentice like this in ages, not since he was a young lad at least. Luke now had the burdens of being the Mayor of this town dropped down upon his shoulders but he also had a family to provide for. It must have been rough on him...

Luke sighed with the highest amount of distress possible as he rubbed two fingers along his aching forehead to message it and keep a headache at bay. Eventually the couple met the Professor and the Detective Constable on eye level and informed them of an ongoing problem that had driven poor Luke to the edge of a bottomless ravine with no way out. He gave an annoyed sigh as he plopped down next to the Professor with a seemingly low self esteem.

The professor tilted his head to one side "Whats wrong, my boy?"

Luke sighed heavily and replied "A strange singer/choreographer had approached the village and I keep getting reports of blackmail with this woman fingered as the culprit."

Arianna patted her husband's shoulder lovingly as she continued, looking at the professor pleadingly "Yes, Professor, Luke has been working non-stop to try and sort out the problem but she is very elusive. The police can't get their mitts on her."

Lucy growled in frustration. She hated the sound of this woman and who could blame her, they were messing with her cousin! The detective constable really felt pity for the young man since he had been trying to live up to expectations of what others put on him. Yet this criminal was seriously slimy and very hard to get a good grip on from the sound of things. She folded her arms moodily across her chest with a bitter glare on her face.

"Oooh!" She growled "Slippery as a snake, she is!"

It was then that the professor had an idea as it lit up his mind like a light bulb in a pitch black room. He smiled cheerfully "Ah! I think I know what we should do."

Everyone stared in confusion. What was the professor's idea? Whatever it was, it sounded brave and stupid at the same time and nobody could dare question the gentleman's logic and especially not when something is flawed in his logic. He closed his wise, dot-like eyes and tweaked the rim of his top hat even though an uncharacteristically devious grin tugged at either sides of his lips and stretched them into a smirk filled with impending mischief.

"I suggest we go and convince her of her wrongdoings." He surmised, pointing a wise finger up towards the ceiling.

Everybody seemed confused about this plan. It wasn't very specific but they couldn't argue with the top hat nor the archaeologist who wore it. Usually his plans were steadfast brilliant, not something to judge. He gave a slight nod to both Luke and Arianna. They spared a glance to each other and then back to Professor Layton who smiled warmly back at them.

Luke asked with a sincere tone of voice "Really? You'd do that for me?"

Professor Layton nodded. He reached over and placed an assuring hand on Luke's shoulder before giving it some pats. A feeling of warmth flooded the professor's kind heart and he could recall slight flashes through Luke's childhood flash through his mind. It weighed heavily on the professor of archaeologist good conscience that he should be there to help in any way he could as it had followed one of the most important rules of being a gentleman.

"...Anything for my number one former apprentice." He playfully yanked Luke's cap off of the younger man's head and tussled his spiky blonde hair in a boisterous manner. He never really named Luke his apprentice until those utmost vital occasions but he knew Luke felt safe and more happy when he called him that. He watched as Luke snatched his cap back and placed it proudly atop his head with a beaming smirk.

Luke gave a salute "Professor, even though I'm a grown man doesn't mean I'm no longer your apprentice."

Hershel Layton winked merrily at the young man. He could always rely on Luke to watch his back whether it be hint coin hunting or puzzle solving to the highest degree, it was nothing that would be doubted by neither gentlemen nor professional Scotland yarders with faint hearts. The archaeologist chuckled warmly, saying with a sliver of hope that was undying "Indeed."

However the mood was killed when Lucy decided to drag both the professor and Luke out the door before this could get anymore dreadfully cheesy whilst Arianna decided to go to the market and fetch some snacks for their children whom the professor decided to leave a certain young man in charge of. It took awhile of pulling and shoving but the detective constable managed to get her teammates out the door to meet this despicable woman who dared blackmail this towns civilians. She shoved the men out the door with such bouncy enthusiasm that it would rival Luke's.

When they had left, a tired Alfendi walked out into the house to find himself alone. Where had everyone gone?

"Er, hello? Anyone?" He called out, clueless. He was suddenly snapped from his thoughtfulness at the sound of a symphony of wails coming from upstairs and he suddenly found out what he was left to task was. A venomous purr leaked into his brain as a certain little voice whispered in the back of his head.

"Oh dear..."

* * *

**A/N: Awww, poor Alfendi is left to babysit. Lets see what happens next, I can't wait to see what happens next and start writing. Lets see how Al handles babysitting Luke and Ari's children shall we? We also see Luke and professor Layton reunite here!**

**Please review and I could use some suggestions please.**

**-Chloemcg**


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